The Yashiro Conspiracy
by blacktohru
Summary: Yashiro has a card up his sleeve. What has the past got to do with the future? Just about everything...
1. Chapter 1: The Great Plan

**  
The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru**: This will be a oneshot for the time being, though I did attempt writing Chapter 2 already. So, if all goes well, I'll post that one up too._

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**Chapter 1: The Great Plan **

He was brilliant! Two birds with one stone! But first, he needed to plan it out carefully, so that Ren did not suspect anything. Glancing briefly into his appointment book, he checked off the days Ren would be busy and noted when he would be free. Now all he needed was HER schedule. Perhaps he could talk to the President about his great plan and acquire all the details necessary.

Yashiro leaned back in his chair, a tiny grin playing at his lips. Beside him, Ren was taking a break from his photo shoot and sipping a tall glass of ice coffee. Ren glanced at the preoccupied Yashiro curiously.

"Yashiro seems to be in high spirits today," Ren thought.

His stoic manager was indeed in high spirits. If his plan succeeded, he would be Ren's best man at his wedding! He knew Ren was rather put off since he hardly saw Kyouko lately since she was busy attending to Kuu.

A crew member called out to Ren, reminding him to prepare for the next shoot that would begin in five minutes. Despite the loud distraction, Yashiro continued to be absorbed in his little appointment book, occasionally grinning idiotically to himself. Ren nodded to the crew member who had hailed him and headed to the dressing room. Taking another glance at Yashiro, who had apparently not noticed anything at all, he idly wondered whether Yashiro was going out with someone at the moment. Perhaps that would explain his iridescent aura today.

After the photo shoot

Ren rubbed his neck absently, trying to work out the stiff knots that had appeared there. Yashiro had been in a distracted mood the entire day. Even during the photo shoot, Ren had noticed him chatting excitedly with someone on his cell phone. Again, the theory of Yashiro having a girlfriend was reinforced. Absently he wondered who it was and how they had met. Perhaps he had a date tonight. Even at the moment, despite being in the confines of his car, Yashiro seemed to be extremely energetic, with sparkling eyes and the occasional grin that he could not hide.

"Ah, Ren! Drop me off at the station tonight. I need to pick up some papers. You can head home straightaway," Yashiro said.

"If it's just picking up some papers, I can wait for you in the car," Ren replied. "It shouldn't take long and I can send you home after that."

"It's no problem! No problem at all! Just head home, and don't forget to eat!"

Ren narrowed his eyes. When Yashiro adopted that big brother nagging for him to eat, he wouldn't stop until he extracted a promise from him to finish his food. How annoying. He was tired after a long day's work and just didn't have any appetite.

"Okay then," Ren said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Yashiro gave an uncharacteristic grin and exited the car. "See you tomorrow!" he waved and hurried off towards the main building of LME. Glancing at his wrist watch, he mentally counted off the number of minutes till the surprise he had planned for Ren.

"Just thirty more minutes. Perfect!"

Instead of the main office, he headed directly towards the president's private office. He had much to discuss with his co-conspirator.

Ren still continued to wonder at Yashiro's strange behavior today as he drove home. He allowed his mind to wander as he took the familiar route home, disregarding the beautiful scenery for his contemplations. At this late hour, there was hardly any traffic, most office workers already snug in their homes enjoying dinners with their families. He was used to eating alone, or disregarding dinner altogether for much needed sleep.

After carefully maneuvering his car into its usual parking spot, Ren switched off the engine and reached behind to grab his jacket. It was getting slightly chilly at night as winter was approaching. What he wanted right now was a nice hot shower and a solid eight hours of sleep, if he was lucky. He had been getting recurring nightmares of late and was only getting about five hours every day. Fortunately for him, he hardly got eye bags although he sorely lacked sleep.

Stepping out of his car, he took a breath of the cool brisk air perfumed with the delicate fragrance of irises that his landlady had planted. He headed to his room, his long strides covering ground quickly. In his apartment, Ren just slung his jacket over the back of a chair when his doorbell rang.

Wondering a little at how late it was for visitors, Ren opened the door to reveal a smiling Kyouko. A smiling Kyouko with a great deal of grocery bags.

All thoughts of hot showers and long naps vanished in an instant. He opened the door wider.

"What are you doing here Mogami-san?" he smiled at her, his heart warming with indescribable tenderness; his stiff muscles loosening already.

"Uhm… uhm… Tsuruga-san wanted someone to teach him how to cook?" Kyouko looked up at him nervously. Yashiro had called her earlier to ask her whether she would be willing to teach Ren how to cook some simple dishes. Apparently Ren himself wanted her assistance. So she had gathered all the ingredients she thought he might need and brought along several cookbooks that he would find easy to refer to.

"Hmm?" he absently replied. "Here, let me get those for you," he gracefully divested her of her bags, carrying them into the apartment.

"What are these?" he asked her in bemusement.

"Ah! Ingredients which you may not have and some reference material for you," Kyouko replied. "I thought it would be better if you choose something that you enjoy out of those books and I could teach you how to make it. So I got everything that you could possibly need!"

"Oh?" he eyed the bulging bags. Everything that he could possibly need? More like everything off the supermarket shelf.

"Since I wasn't sure exactly what Tsuruga-san's favourite is, I thought that I'd better prepare something beforehand for your dinner tonight, and then I could start the lessons tomorrow since you end work early then."

"How did she know I finish work early tomorrow?" he wondered. "Ah…"

Everything was beginning to come together in the puzzle that was Yashiro. That conniving…! No wonder he was in an ecstatic mood today! "And since he wanted to be dropped off at LME, the president was probably in on it as well", he surmised.

Back at the head office, Lory and Yashiro gave simultaneous sneezes.

In the kitchen, Kyouko had begun unpacking her bags and arranging everything neatly in their respective cupboards and shelves. After using his kitchen a few times, she had begun to be remarkably oriented. At the same time, she was warming up some stew for their dinner. To prepare everything on such a short notice, she herself had gone without dinner. But she did not really mind considering she had eaten her dinner at much later hours in the past. Her dratted past…

Clenching the spoon more tightly, Kyouko began to stir the pot viciously. Damn that Sho. Being reminded of him just through simple everyday things always worsened her mood. However, her thoughts straying to Sho these days had been occurring on a less frequent basis. Absently she tasted her sauce. "Perhaps a little bit of nutmeg and white pepper," she thought, reaching for the shelf where both were stored.

Just then she noticed another cupboard which she hadn't opened yet. It was extremely high up and far beyond her reach. Belatedly remembering her last accident in Tsuruga-san's kitchen, she turned around to ask him to open it for her when she realized he was standing just behind her. Giving a small gasp of surprise, she dropped the spoon she was holding into the pot of stew.

"Damn it," she cursed, hurriedly looking for something else to fish out her drowned spoon.

Behind her, Ren stood watching her brisk and efficient movements. Not only was she a splendid actress already, but also a great chef. The food she had cooked for him in the past was absolutely delicious. And his mouth was already watering from the enticing smells wafting from whatever she was stirring in that pot. Suddenly, he was rather hungry.

"Though that shouldn't have been surprising considering the fact that I only had a glass of ice coffee for lunch," he mused. "At least this time I'm not too sick or too worried to enjoy her food."

He stepped next to her, wondering a little at her panicked expression.

"Can I help you with anything?" he asked.

"No, no. That's fine. Just need to get this damn spoon out before…" she neatly scooped it out with a ladle she had sourced from one of his drawers. Sometimes it seemed to him that she managed to find a great deal of utensils and cooking appliances which he himself did not know existed. The apartment had come fully furnished complete with a fully equipped kitchen apparently. At that time he had merely requested for a bed large enough to fit his long frame.

"Ah, could you set the table, Tsuruga-san?" she replied. "This stew is almost ready."

"Sure," he replied, glad to be able to help.

Outside, it began to pour with rain, interspersed with the occasional thunder and lightning.

The hot stew was definitely a welcome treat for Ren. It had been ages since he had a delicious home-cooked meal. Somehow, the idea of her going to so much trouble just to prepare dinner for him warmed his face. He could definitely get used to this.

A small smile played by his lips. Absently, he reached into the drawer where his utensils were stored and rummaged around till he found what he needed. As he finished setting the table, he turned around to find Kyouko maneuvering towards him while balancing her pot of stew and several bowls.

"Ah, let me help you with that," he reached out to her.

"No, no. It's okay. I'm used to it," she replied easily, while gently setting everything on the table.

"Used to it?"

"Ah! Uhm… no, it's just that I can handle it. It's no problem!" she smiled nervously. "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu," Ren echoed softly.

They began to eat in silence.

"Is it…is it good?" she asked worriedly.

Ren looked up, startled. "Yes, it's delicious."

Kyouko breathed a sigh of relief and beamed at him. "I'm glad. I couldn't decide whether you liked stews or not. Perhaps you could choose something you like out of these cookbooks?" she began pulling out a stack of thick cookbooks on the table. "Just take a look at the photos and don't worry about the recipes for now. Let me know if you're interested in any of those."

Ren eyed her stack bemusedly. "That's a lot of homework," he joked.

Kyouko stopped flipping through the top stack. Glancing at it, she began to wonder whether she had indeed overdone it. Her pile was about a meter high of glossy hardcover cookbooks.

Just then, a bright flash of light lit up the entire room, followed instantaneously by low rumble of thunder. And the lights went out.

Ren got up swiftly. "Just stay where you are. I'll go get some candles."

Heaving a sigh, he began to feel his way to the kitchen where he had stored some candles for emergencies. Of late, the electricity had begun cutting off at random times due to renovations to his apartment block. And of all days, it had to happen today. His mood began to deteriorate.

He set some slim white candles on a candle-stand, lit them and carried them gingerly to the table. Setting it gently, he turned to look at Kyouko. His gut clenched and his throat snapped shut.

Kyouko looked absolutely ethereal; her face bathed in candlelight, her eyes shining a smile at him. And there was the shimmer of the girl he once knew.

"I love eating by candlelight, don't you," she said softly. "It gives such a different atmosphere."

Ren gave an inward sigh of relief. "It really does," he agreed. Trust Kyouko to remedy things so easily.

"Come, let's eat before the food gets cold," she nodded at him.

"Yes, can't let your delicious stew go to waste," he gave her a soft smile.

Kyouko almost stopped breathing. The Emperor of Night's smile was really dangerous. Even more so by candle light. When he wanted to, he could be charming and dashing. Enough to captivate any maiden's heart, including hers. But no, she had decided long ago never to let her heart race over anyone ever again. Even though a little demon inside of her whispered that perhaps it was worth it to let her heart race over a guy as handsome as Tsuruga Ren.

She took in a gasp of air, belatedly realizing that her breathing had become rather shallow during her contemplations.

Ren watched her through lidded eyes. She really was interesting to watch. Her emotions were so clearly obvious through her expressive face. While she was a brilliant actress, he was glad that she lowered her defenses in front of him. Only in front of him? Was that naivety or did she simply trust him implicitly? As Tsuruga Ren or was it an instinctive trust towards his past persona of Fairy Prince Corn?

Kyouko quickly continued eating her meal, taking occasional glances at the cookbook and flipping pages desperately. Even without looking directly at him, she could tell he was watching her every move. Like how a hawk eyes its prey.

Ren took a slow bite of his stew, delicious as it was, he just couldn't taste it anymore. Was this how it felt to be in love? To feel his heart hitch every now and again just watching her? To find her every action endearing? To have that unstoppable desire to place her on a pedestal and worship her? He did not deserve her. He told himself time and again that she was far too young and far too innocent for one as soiled and jaded as he was. It would mar her perfection and destroy her future as an actress.

But was this how he was going to continue his life? Secretly loving her? Watching out for her by the sidelines? Giving her advice as a senpai while trying not to fall into the role of an older brother? Heaven forbid! In his imagination, he replaced Maria with Kyouko, running up to him and demanding, "Ren nii-san! Gimme a hug!"

"Here," she pointed at the cookbook she was currently perusing. "This looks tasty and it's quite easy to make. What do you think?" she pushed the book towards a slightly pale Tsuruga Ren.

"Well, this stew that we're currently having is pretty good already. Perhaps that will do?" he managed to reply.

Kyouko frowned. "You can't be eating the same stew all the time. You'll be sick of it in no time!"

Ren chuckled. "That's true. Though I'm really not particular with food so anything you choose would suffice."

"That is the precise reason why you want me to teach you how to cook, huh," she muttered.

Ren looked up at her. "That reminds me," he said carefully. "What exactly did Yashiro say to you?"

"Yashiro-san? Well, he was complaining about how one time you forgot to eat both breakfast and lunch, and eventually had dinner at about 11pm that night," Kyouko said absently, flipping through yet another cookbook.

Ren put down his chopsticks. "I was extremely busy that day and I barely had any appetite by the time I got back home."

"Mmm. Though you still need food to fuel your busy work life," she replied. "Wouldn't do you any good to faint or collapse. Right?" she gave him a sweet smile.

Talking about that did bring back memories of him collapsing on top of her when she was working as his part-time manager. The feel of his feverishly warm body pressing against her still brought a frown to her face. Did his work take precedence over his own health? Apparently so; to the extent that nothing else mattered to him.

'Yes, the feel and the weight of a male body pressing against you, his warm breath against your neck. I bet you remember all of that, don't you,' her demons whispered to her.

Kyouko felt the beginnings of a blush across her cheeks.

'He was ill and fainted because of his fever! A person with high fever can be strangely captivating, right? Plus, I just repeated some of the lines of his co-actress and he immediately responded with his lines! And that was creepy enough!' she snapped back at her demon.

Her demon laughed slyly. 'Oh, but the man is devoted to his work! Isn't that attractive?'

No! She must be steadfast in herself! Like Tsuruga Ren, she needed to dedicate herself to her work in order to attain that level of professionalism.

Ren looked at her face, illuminated clearly by candle light. He did have an answer ready, but the byplay of emotions on her face was far too intriguing. Especially that tell-tale blush that was working its way down her neck. Damn. If only he knew what she was thinking. Had Yashiro spilled the beans? Was that why she was blushing? Might as well ask her straight out.

"True enough. Though did Yashiro say anything else?" he asked.

"Well…."

Flashback to Kyouko's conversation with Yashiro

"Let me tell you a secret Kyouko-chan. One of the reasons why Ren adopts such an attitude towards his eating habits is because he's a total klutz in the kitchen," Yashiro said craftily.

Kyouko choked. It would indeed explain why he refused to eat properly. More like he didn't have a choice. Though it was rather hard to imagine the perfect Tsuruga Ren with a flowery, pastel pink apron around his waist and a chef's hat on his head.

"But his apartment has a beautiful kitchen!" she countered, trying not to laugh.

"Yes, but he hardly makes use of it. All apartments do come with kitchens after all."

"I guess…" she replied.

Yashiro smiled. Victory was in his grasp! He knew it! "So will you help him?"

"Okay, since I do owe him one anyway."

End flashback

Ren felt a slight flush staining his cheeks. Gripping his chopsticks almost to the point of snapping them, he thought furiously, "Damn that Yashiro!" He would definitely get him for that one. A klutz in the kitchen? He wasn't all THAT bad. Right? He could still cook rice. It only burned two or three times in the rice cooker. And instant noodles were a piece of cake. Just add hot water. How difficult can cooking be? It's just because he was far too busy to cook, he thought defiantly. Yashiro's comments were uncalled for!

"Owe me one?" Ren wondered aloud, trying to bury his resentment towards Yashiro.

She nodded, feeling more than slightly amused at his reaction. 'Ah, he does have his adorable moments…,' she thought. Aloud she said "Well, it's just that you've helped me many times in the past. Like standing up for me and giving me advice when I was having difficulty with my characterization of Mio in Dark Moon."

"Oh, that? That was nothing. Anyone else could have told you the same thing so don't worry about it."

"Well, perhaps. But you were the one who helped me. And I made a promise and I intend to keep it," she said obstinately, her face set with determination.

He smiled. That answer was so like her. Honest, stubborn and dedicated to anything she set herself to.

"Since you're going to be teaching me how to cook, perhaps I should start calling you Kyouko-sensei?" he teased. It was becoming an interesting game for him. To see how far he could push her and how easy it was to make her flustered.

But this time, she refused to be baited. "Yes, yes. But I would really prefer it if you called me by my name…" she hesitated.

"Mmmm, you're indeed rather young to be my sensei," Ren remarked. Dipping his voice to a lower register, he said softly, "Kyouko-chan."

She shivered from his caressing tone, deliciously deep and sexy, disturbing and exciting her at the same time.

"Ah…uhmm…un," she stuttered. "Gochisosama!" she stood up quickly and grabbed her plates, intending to make a hasty escape. Seriously! Did the man ever stop to think about what his very presence meant to innocent young girls?

Ren stood up with her and gracefully touched her wrist, intending to guide her. Instead, he felt the acceleration of her pulse at their contact. A heady and exhilarating feeling indeed.

"I'll help," he managed to say evenly. "The power hasn't come back on yet and it's quite dark."

She could barely meet his eyes now. Damn. He didn't mean to scare her away from him. Two steps forward and three steps back, huh. Oh well, no choice now.

"What's wrong with calling you Kyouko-chan? Yashiro calls you that as well," he prodded gently.

"Nothing. Nothing. Whatever you want is fine," she mumbled, mentally berating herself for not strengthening the barrier around her heart.

Excellent. Now if only he could drop the 'chan'.

Õwari?

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_**Blacktohru**: Please let me know what you think. If it's ok, I'll finish up Part 2: Ren's past and soap suds._

_Here's a line I REALLY wanted to use. Sigh!_

_"I'll eat only if you feed me…" Ren added with a twinkle in his eye._


	2. Chapter 2: Ren's Past & Soap Suds

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru**: Some angst and some WAFF. Hope you all like it!_

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**Chapter 2: Ren's Past & Soap Suds**

Bemusedly, Ren watched Kyouko's brisk but slightly trembling hands as she did the dishes. She refused to meet his eyes, abstained from making any conversation. Had he well and truly scared her away? Was it too much to hope that she felt something for him as well? Could that be the reason why she was so self-conscious at the moment? Kyouko pushed her hair back from her face and unconsciously wiped soap suds across her forehead. Ren chuckled to himself. She was so adorable. Amidst the gentle clinking of crockery, like a breeze gently teasing a wind chime, his thoughts began to wander as he went through the mindless routine of washing dishes.

The feeling of her warm body enclosed in his arms. Her smooth, flawless complexion, and most of all, her soft, thoroughly kissable lips. The possessive part of him had rejoiced at the fact that she had never kissed anyone before. The last time, she had stopped him from kissing her. Ren absently licked his lips, remembering how her small, soft hands had felt, pressing against his lips to prevent his kiss.

When they could look back at all this and laugh, he would tell her the truth about everything - Fairy Prince Corn and his real name: Kuon Hizuri. He hoped that she would not be too shocked. And well….still continue to love him, assuming that things do reach that stage.

He could just imagine it. The crestfallen look on her face upon realizing that fairies, or at least Fairy Prince Corn did not exist. He was just plain Corn. He wondered whether she would be ecstatic upon meeting an old friend – presumably dead or just disappointed that he lacked any fairy powers of any sort. Her unwavering faith in him, ten years worth and still as strong as ever. How reminiscent.

For now, he would settle for teasing her and finding excuses to have dinners with her. Just spend as much time as he can with her without drawing too much attention to them. The last thing he needed was a news-splash about them. Especially not when their relationship was so shaky.

How ironic. She was the only person who knew his true gentle persona as Fairy Prince Corn. The only person who could warm his heart and breathe joy into his life. Before her, he had never experienced such happiness. The ability to just let go and laugh with happiness. And his dark side? He had his fair share of demons and sufficient skeletons in his closet to fuel any gossip media for several years.

No. None of that mattered any longer. He would make sure that she would not be hurt by any such news. Be it true or false. He would come clean to her. Just her. But deep inside, he felt that twinge of fear; that ultimately, the darkness within him would overwhelm her. She was forbidden fruit, and the guilt he felt came of wanting what he couldn't have. Just because she brought a moment of light to the dark recesses of his soul didn't mean his night had passed.

He heaved a painful sigh. His conflicting emotions were arousing confusing thoughts. Perhaps he had spent too much time alone, allowing his warring personalities to take control of his life. For the past few years, his guise as Tsuruga Ren had dominated. It was almost funny the way he thought of Tsuruga Ren as a separate person from himself. Tsuruga Ren – the charming gentleman. A seemingly complete opposite of his true nature. In retrospect, perhaps it was something he aspired to be when he created that character. A shield to protect himself, a new name to start anew and the ultimate solution to cast away his father's shadow. It had started off as being a splendid idea. But to be forced to continually act as someone he was not, just to upkeep his image…

Flashback: Ren's past

It had all started off so innocently. A doting father bringing his beloved only son to his workplace. The exclamations of surprise and the flattering remarks of directors and staff members alike – gushing about how he was a perfect miniature of the famous Kuu Hizuri aka Hozu Shuuhei. He had been so proud of his resemblance to his father back then. It wasn't wrong to be proud of his father, he thought aggressively. How else was a 10-year-old child supposed to behave? Ren ran a weary hand through his hair.

As time went by and he grew older, the more fame his father received for his roles in films and dramas alike. Not a day went by without his father's face being splashed across magazines and tabloids, proclaiming gratifying remarks about the unrivalled success of his one and only beloved father. Unfortunately, they did not have such endearing remarks for him – he who should have inherited the brilliance and talents of Kuu Hizuri. But for all of Kuu's skills, he lacked the time and the energy to be a good father. Acting took up his entire life, and Kuu had no desire to have it any other way. To be the best in your role, Kuu always said, you must be selfish and place yourself first. _That_ is the way of perfectionists.

Praise and hero-worship slowly turned into deeply engraved hatred. The pedestal he had placed his father upon was unreachable. Unattainable. Oh yes, he did have roles in films and dramas back then, courtesy of his father's contacts. Ren turned his lips downwards in distaste. Who in their right mind would deny what Kuu Hizuri wanted? And the attention and free publicity it would receive just for his presence there on the set! Things had started off pretty well to begin with. In some ways, he was even more talented than the great Kuu Hizuri, he thought with no small amount of satisfaction. But that had never been enough for all those useless and pompous directors. Perhaps it was all because of his teenage pride; his belief that he was as talented as his father. Perhaps he had been a stuck-up, inexperienced kid with no respect for his elders, as one of his directors had remarked rather caustically. That director had to hitch a ride from other staff members at the end of that day, due to his beloved Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign encountering an unfortunate accident with some cleverly placed nails in his tires. Ren gave a slight smirk at that one. That was the first in a series of unfortunate events that befell any annoying director who had the gumption to tell him off – whether he deserved it or not.

He had indeed been rather lively as a teenager. Being naturally quick on the uptake meant that he rarely had any trouble with school work. In other words, he had more than enough time to spare without being bogged down by revision and homework. And he never had any problems with memorizing his lines, fortunately. But back then, his fellow peers cursed him for his natural and effortless ability to commit theories and formulas to memory. He quickly learnt that being a foreigner and a teacher's pet was a horrible and deadly combination. It was then that he had gotten tired of his gentle nature. How long could he take the endless bullying and the name-calling? It came to a point where they had started punching and kicking him in the boy's locker room.

Ren squeezed his eyes shut. The yells and screaming still reverberated through his memory. "You useless piece of shit! Kick him in the stomach! Hold him down properly while I teach this crap a lesson!" The bruising pain; the copper tang of blood filling his mouth and running down his cheeks. The explosion of light in his vision as his head was slammed repeatedly on the wall. Then the world would go bright for a second, and then dark. Later, he would come to slowly, his vision fractured, his head screaming. After several rounds as such, he had begun to forget things – leaving his books in school, forgetting what he ate for his last meal, and even forgetting his own address. That last one scared him enough. What if he forgot his own name eventually? What if he forgot who he was? He had then taken to writing things down – almost like a diary – simply because he couldn't remember things anymore. He had already forgotten the number of times he was sent to the hospital because of all that.

Then, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes – or so his poetically inclined gentlemanly self aka Tsuruga Ren would have put it, albeit rather sarcastically – he fought back. Except for the fact that _that_ new persona was neither Corn nor Tsuruga Ren. It was a being born of desperation, fighting for a chance at survival. The heart-wrenching fear he had felt was turning slowly, inexorably, into a cold and killing rage. Perhaps that was really Kuon after all? He would never be a hundred percent certain. Being a smart person, he had worked out this problem, not unlike how any other student would have done when faced with a mathematical function to solve. He calculated the risks and the returns. Plotted his revenge. And so he began to spend more time in the library. Not looking up reference titles or the like, but instead medical journals and any self-defense books he could lay his hands on. While he was naturally agile, he wanted to be able to protect himself, and learn the most efficient way to deal the maximum amount of damage.

And it was in that library he had discovered a little blue stone, embedded into a crack amongst dust-covered shelves in the medical section. At that time, all he had seen was something seemingly stuck and forgotten, or perhaps it was once part of a bookend. He would never know. He yanked it out, using more force than necessary. Much to his dismay, the bookshelves began tumbling down. And amidst all the noise and rancor of displeased librarians and his fellow students, he stood petrified, covered in a layer of fine dust, still clutching the little blue stone. He had run off, afraid of being identified and banned from entering the library ever again. He still had his mission to complete! Or so he had considered it back then.

Ever since then, he had kept that little blue stone with him. Ren gave a brief smile. That stone had been his salvation through his darkest times. He had no one to turn to, no one to talk to… all except for that little blue stone. He had poured his darkest secrets and his deepest desires into that stone; a strange substitute for a parent or even a friend, now that he thought about it. But he had been desperate back then.

"It's gonna be ok…It's gonna be ok… It's gonna be ok… It's gonna be ok… It's gonna be ok…" he had mumbled under his breath, rubbing the little stone hidden deep in his pocket. It had become a ritual for him ever since he had found it. His usual bullies had backed off, hearing this strange litany, assuming him to be an even worse freak than they had expected. This relief was short-lived. They eventually returned with double the force; this time accusing him of practicing the evil crafts of black magic.

"Hello, Corn." They drawled, walked slowly towards him. "How's our little punching bag? It's good to see you alive and kicking still."

Terror and panic seized his throat, restricting breath. He couldn't move, could make no sound at all. He prayed that it was a nightmare, a hallucination. But the leader reached out, and those slender deadly fingers brushed his cheek and slid around his throat. Tears threatened to betray his fear and he squeezed his eyes shut in dismay. Their presence, voices and touch robbed him of all his self-confidence and drained him of all his knowledge of self-defense. Fingers tightened and went biting cruel around his neck as his chin was jerked up. He opened his eyes, and stared into madness. His assailant gave him a hard shove that slammed him into the wall. Pain registered in an absent way, triggering a distant memory. Adrenalin pumped through his veins.

He fought back. Hitting and kicking them twice as hard as they had to him. The echoes of bones breaking, blood that was not his own running down his face, the satisfying crunch of his fist connecting against soft cartilage. His only damage that night was some slight bruising on his knuckles and his clothes drenched in his assailant's blood. The pleading and cries of forgiveness had been sweet revenge. And to complete it, he had dragged the leader of his attackers by his hair for a few blocks, uncaring for the screams of pain he had emitted. The rest of the pack had run off with their proverbial tails in between their legs once they saw that their leader was down.

Days went by in blissful peace. But such luck was fickle, he knew. He would wake up in the middle of the night, bathed in cold sweat, imagining they had come back again for revenge. But they never did. Instead, other groups, gangsters and delinquents alike came to test their luck against the infamous Kuon. While he had used guns in the past, courtesy of his father's extensive collection, he preferred to use his fists. It had become somewhat poetical, somewhat satisfying, to be the one who determined who lived and who died. Expensive brands of cigarettes, Cuban cigars and classy liquor were distributed freely to his ever increasing number of followers. No, he would never consider them his friends. They were merely dispensable and ignorant people who wasted their life away. But, it was all part of his plan after all.

End Flashback to Ren's past

Kyouko could not meet his eyes, dared not. Ren had an aura of gloom surrounding him, and every now and again, his gentlemanly face would slip, revealing someone she did not recognize. And yet, she had this insane urge to laugh hysterically. A pissed off Ren, complete with soap suds interlaced in his hair and running down his face. Definitely not the look anyone else would want to see. She withheld her giggles with a sobering thought that she had somehow been the cause for his dark mood. Heaving a small sigh, she managed to wake Ren from his reverie.

He looked at her and stared. The electricity had come back sometime during his recollection without him realizing it. She was covered lightly in soap suds, almost from head to toe. He felt his facial muscles twitch and he gave a short cough to try cover it up.

"Ah…soap…" Ren choked out, shoulders shaking with silent, horrified, helpless laughter.

"Hmmm?" Kyouko absently rubbed her forehead and cheeks, successfully smearing more soap on her face. "Ahhh!" she caught a sight of her reflection in the perfectly polished surface of his oven.

Ren stared at his own reflection next to hers. What a pair, he thought whimsically. If only he could take a picture of both of them at that moment. Perhaps he should…

He eyed the full sink of bubbles. Reaching out to dump more suds on her head, Ren took out his handphone and snapped a picture of them in the reflection. "For memories," he joked, relishing the look of surprised dismay painting her features. Two mounds of snowy white bubbles decorated her head, not unlike fluffy bunny ears. Ren could barely restrain his snort of laughter.

Kyouko's jaw dropped. So he did have a playful side to him! Perhaps his role as Katsuki was beginning to rub off on him somehow. "Hey?! What was that for?" She begin flinging suds in his direction unable to control her giggles as her aim proved true.

Ren gave an uncharacteristic grin as he watched the girl he loved play with him so familiarly. That definitely brought back memories. For remembrance indeed, Ren thought, barely resisting the urge to lean close to her and tenderly wipe those soap suds off her cheek. "Here," he passed her a dish towel. "Better wipe those off first. You can use my shower if you want."

She smiled up at him, dabbing her flushed cheeks. No one would believe their eyes if they were to see Tsuruga Ren that way, dusted lightly in bubbles and suds. "Thanks!" she replied, running off to the direction of his guest bedroom.

"Sorry for wetting your clothes, Kyouko-chan. You could use one of my shirts while yours dries."

"Okay, thanks!" she called back, her voice slightly muffled.

Ren stared at his reflection, wide eyed. Use one of his shirts?

Sighing, he grimaced as he stripped off his t-shirt which was completely soaked and sticky with soap. He stepped under the hot spray, reveling in the sharp heat. Ren leaned his forehead against the wall, breathing in deeply, allowing rivulets of crystal ribbons stream down his back. He had never managed to lighten his mood for hours on end after reminiscing about his dark past. But Kyouko, his beloved Kyouko… He smiled tenderly.

Above the steady cadence of water, he could hear faint strains of music…singing? He listened intently. A mellow, melancholic tone, a pure and innocent voice… Kyouko was singing in her shower? Ren turned the nozzle to cold.

* * *

**  
OMAKE!**

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**

**  
**

"So who is she?" she asked, rubbing a towel through her still damp hair.

"She?"

"Yeah. The high school girl you're in love with."

Ren choked. Kyouko really didn't beat around the bush. But how did she know about that in the first place?

She looked at him earnestly. "Well, I was just thinking, since I'm a high school student myself, I may be of some help to you. Or I may even know who she is! She's my age, right? Wouldn't that be fantastic?"

Was she serious? Honestly, genuinely serious in offering to help him court another girl? Did she have no jealous bone in her body or was it that she was completely not interested in him romantically? It was a crushing thought.

"Wha…how??" he was inarticulate.

Kyouko shrugged. "Anyone on the set could have guessed, you know. The President pretty much spilled the beans during your test as Katsuki. And you admitted to it just now by your reaction." She gave him an innocent smile. Yes, all that was quite true. But she had 'insider' knowledge after all.

Ren pressed his fingers to his forehead, rubbing his temples. 'I'm just a friend,' he thought. At least he hadn't been relegated to older brother status as yet. How depressing.

"Well?" her eyes shone in anticipation.

He heaved a mental sigh. Time to slide back into Tsuruga Ren gentlemanly mode. "Thank you, but its fine. I'd really prefer to wait until she graduates and besides, she's not interested in me."

"Well, that's because she hasn't gotten to know you yet," she insisted. "I'm sure that once she gets to know you, she'll be hooked for sure!" she clenched her fists to emphasize her point.

"Ah…well, that's flattering indeed," he managed. Unfortunately, she was unlike any other girl, huh. No, wait. It was a good thing that she was unlike anyone else. That made her special. It just made things more challenging for him.

She pouted slightly, pursing her lips in discontent. "Oh well. I just thought I'd be of some help to you. Anytime you want to talk, I'm all ears 'k?" She stood up to leave. She should have guessed as much from what she had learnt of Tsuruga Ren. He was not the type of person who would confide that easily in anyone. Perhaps she would attempt to glean some information about the mysterious high-school girl by using her Bou costume. Yes. That was a more viable alternative.

Kyouko paused. While it was a good idea, it was rather sneaky and manipulative. But it was all for his sake, right?

* * *

**Blacktohru:** _Please let me know what you think! By the way, I need more ideas! Suggestions anyone? I know I promised more Yashiro evilness (and other characters). Don't worry! It's all in the next chapter. Next up: Chapter 3 – Three Spies & A Date_


	3. Chapter 3: Three Spies & A Date

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru**: Thank you for all the lovely reviews! Cookies for reader713 and La Jazz for the splendid plot bunny!_

* * *

**Chapter 3: Three Spies & A Date**

A single photograph in a simple frame decorated his otherwise plain mahogany desk. The photo depicted a young boy with a small smile gracing his lips, his hair windswept and askew. He was not really small in stature, not really muscular, but somewhere in between. In better days, sunlight would stream on that little frame, illuminating and pronouncing his childish features.

Kuu sat back with a sigh. He had placed that picture on every desk he had sat on for the past 10 years. Wishing and hoping that his only son would return home had become a futile dream. It wasn't like he was so cold-hearted to abandon his own flesh and blood. He had 10 years worth of information in that very desk – information about Tsuruga Ren, courtesy of his private investigators and one very reliable informant: Takarada Lory.

He recalled one letter his private investigators had sent in exasperation, after he had demanded that his son be taken to the doctor after an on-site accident where Ren had fractured his arm.

_Dear Mr Hizuri,_

_While we understand it is in your best interests that Mr Tsuruga Ren be sent to the best hospital in Japan to be treated for his injuries, please understand that we cannot do so without revealing ourselves and disobeying your specific instructions for complete secrecy._

_From our investigations thus far, Mr Tsuruga Ren has already been treated for said injury and is currently undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of the best doctors in the one and only hospital in Hokkaido._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Kye Private Investigators_

Kuu frowned in distaste. Private investigators, while expensive and generally reliable still lacked the amount of detail he would have preferred in their reports. Any fan could have followed the cinematography of Tsuruga Ren easily. But, he was no ordinary fan after all. He reached for the little frame on his desk. Caressing the opening at the back of the frame, he slipped it open to reveal a tiny key which opened the top drawer of his oak desk.

Reaching inside, he gently removed a thick file which contained all the reports, newspaper and magazine clippings which depicted his son. It was painful to have to learn about his own son through other means. He should have been the one to bring up his son, play with him, teach him right from wrong… but all his fatherly attempts to do that had ceased the summer Kuon had turned 15. That dope, he thought, smiling affectionately.

Kuu rubbed his suddenly sweaty palms together. It wasn't like he wanted such a thing to happen. He knew with all his heart that it was the best thing to do for his son's sake. To take up Lory's suggestion. To allow Kuon to run away to Japan and benefit from Lory's tutelage.

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Back at the head office, Yashiro and Lory were nursing cups of steaming hot coffee. Lory's face was somewhat swollen red with tears of mirth staining his eyes. And his own was no better, he thought bemusedly. Their negotiations had lasted late till the night – considering every possibility and every angle they could to ensure that the plan would go through with as little problems as they could help.

While Yashiro had prided himself with the belief that HE knew Ren better than anyone else, he had to concede a point to the President for his uncanny knowledge on human behavior. And Kyouko! Who knew that she could tease so many expressions out of Ren? That smile, in comparison to his role as Kazuki, while not lacking in brilliance, was simply softer, gentler and far, far more genuine.

Beside him, Lory was lost in his own thoughts. The young boy he had taken under his wing had grown up! A little, he amended with a grin. Ren still had a great deal to learn about falling in love and loving someone. The exhilarating feeling of being with a loved one and the numbing pain of their first fight. Yes, such feelings needed to be experienced firsthand. Perhaps then, Ren would be even more magnificent onstage! Lory absently rubbed the side of his cheek, contemplating this new development. Being melodramatic was part of a President's job, he felt. And it definitely allowed him to reap greater benefits, he added to himself smugly.

He had come a long way himself, putting those acting skills he had perfected over the years to good use. Of course, he had the best interests of all his children at LME in mind. But, as always, pulling a long face or sulking a little went a long way for everyone's benefit. And in this case, it was definitely for Ren's advantage that he help and provide some well phrased advice every now and again. Not that he didn't enjoy watching his protégé suffer a little with the love of his life. And to a certain extent, he felt that sliver of satisfaction for being partly responsible for Ren's upbringing. Ren was, after all, his first project…

And so they sat together, two men talking deep into the night. It was indeed the most ideal location for their little discussions and most importantly: the high-definition 108" wide screen LCD television that Lory owned. Yashiro flushed with guilt. While watching the antics of their favorite couple was more entertaining than any movie he had ever watched, he felt as if he had betrayed his friend's privacy. But Lory had been at his most persuasive when they had installed those adorable, tiny and dratted creations also known as spy cameras in Ren's apartment.

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Sho would have normally walked on without heeding any of the screams of his fans surrounding him, if not for the fact that he heard whispers of Tsuruga Ren's name in the background. He gave a mental snort. With his latest album hitting gold and staying at the top of the charts, he felt somewhat… empty. He stopped short. Why!? He was at the peak of his career, monopolizing the music industry and the hearts of women both young and old. He smirked, mentally patting himself on the back. At the next dinner function he attended, he would surround himself with a bevy of beauties, top models and voluptuous actresses to whet his appetite. With that uplifting thought in mind, he almost strolled past a strangely familiar couple without recognizing them.

Tsuruga Ren! And… Kyouko. He stared at them in shock. Ren had a casual arm around Kyouko's waist, holding her familiarly and cozily to his side. Kyouko, snug next to him, had a slight blush staining her cheeks, talking animatedly with him about her latest roles. And Ren! He had that annoyingly cool demeanor and every now and again he would use that infuriating gentleman's smile and chuckle at whatever Kyouko said. They were the picture of the perfect couple… and they were in their own little world.

He did a double take. Kyouko? She had luxurious locks of shiny black hair flowing down her back, her make-up artfully painted on with a careful hand. She walked gracefully, elegantly next to Ren, in a turquoise silk shirt and white gabardine pants with a matching jacket, accentuating her gentle curves.

Sho ducked behind a pillar. Had his worst dreams come true? Was he too late after all? He eyed the happy couple in anger. Damnit, he was acting like a stalker now!

Unobtrusively, Kyouko had the great satisfaction of seeing Sho pause and look back at her – a long, slow look that went from her head to her toes, then back up again. Beside her, Ren was at his most charming, courteously escorting her to her seat and pulling out the chair for her.

"What would you like to have for dinner?" Ren smiled at her.

"Umm… I haven't quite decided yet," she murmured, perusing the menu quickly. "Could you recommend anything?"

"Hamburger and egg," Ren lied drolly, swallowing back a laugh. "Or if you're feeling more adventurous today, perhaps you could try the special mystery meat."

Kyouko sweatdropped. "Grilled frogs legs or something like that, huh?"

Ren nodded seriously, putting on his best poker face. "Of course! I've already made some arrangements with the chef to prepare his special marinated frogs legs. I'm sure you'll love it!"

Instead of scowling at him, as she would normally have done, Sho watched as Kyouko giggled girlishly and slap Ren's hand playfully. Ren, in retaliation, reached out and tweaked her chin teasingly, allowing his hands to draw hers closer to him and clasp them gently. Kyouko blushed gorgeously, not at Ren's smile, but at the feeling of his hands caressing her so familiarly. Clenching his fists in anger, but unable to do anything about it, Sho stomped off, incensed with the loving scene he had witnessed. Kyouko and Ren? Together? The thought made him want to puke. He recalled how she had doted on him, willingly chasing after him like an adorable cocker spaniel. But just who was this Kyouko now? He no longer recognized her.

A voice deep inside of him laughed uproariously. 'You chased her away, you idiot! Do you expect her to come running back to you with arms wide open?' it chortled.

'Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!'

'In a few years, the world would be in the palm of her hands and you would live to regret ever getting rid of her…'

Sho punched the wall in front of him furiously. "Damn it!" Why did she have to go running to HIM of all people?! His hand throbbed painfully, bits of plaster framing his bruised knuckles.

Ren paused in mid-caress of her soft hands. There had to be some kind of limit, right? There were times…too many times that he almost forgot what he was doing. Every time she lifted her face to his, eyes shining, lips curled upwards in an unconsciously inviting smile, he had to resist the urge to bend down and press a kiss on her lips because it seemed so natural and felt so right.

"You know what? Next time, I'll treat you for dinner instead. And the main course must be grilled frogs legs, or any other variation of that dish, alright?"

Ren stopped dead, his shoulders shaking with helpless mirth as he turned fully toward her. "What did you say?"

"I said," she articulated slowly, pronouncing each word carefully, "Frogs legs for dinner next time."

"Are you sure?" he leaned closer, his warm breath stirring the hair at her temple.

"For you," she amended, her voice trembling slightly.

"For me?" his deep voice rough with emotion.

Kyouko drew in a shaky breath and slowly lifted her eyes to his. She swallowed a knot of unbearable tension and nodded. Too close! He was too close!

His warm lips touched a sensitive place behind her ear, sending shivers racing down her body. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Unable to move or breathe, she hesitated.

"Mmmm… I accept. But only if you feed me…."

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Behind a false patio, carefully erected by Lory's ever-present team of workers, two men were enjoying glasses of French wine over a sumptuous dinner. Yashiro pressed long, tapered fingers to his forehead. Everything was working out well. But why did he feel a sinking sense of foreboding? He angled his head slightly, his brows knit in concentration.

For the time being, Ren and Kyouko sank into their roles with ease, smiling at each other affectionately. The very picture of a couple deeply in love. Lory leaned back in his chair, taking pleasure in their live entertainment. He had everything planned to perfection. Not the smallest minute detail was left out. He had called in so many favors just to pull this off. They couldn't fail now!

Yashiro felt like banging his head on the table. FROGS LEGS?

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Kyouko caressed the little blue stone in her pocket. She began mumbling under her breath. It was just acting! They were just playing their respective roles. After all Kuu had taught her, she should really behave more professionally and consider this part of her training. Why couldn't she consider herself fortunate to be able to train under the famous Kuu Hizuri and now act alongside THE Tsuruga Ren? Tsuruga Ren, once her arch-enemy, now her respected senpai, had his thigh pressed against hers and his arms around her waist, securing her to his side. Her skin tingled with awareness. They had decided to drop by a local chocolatessen known for their scrumptious chocolate desserts. In front of them was a chocolate mascarpone cheesecake with fruit and nuts served with crème fraîche and topped with black and white chocolate-dipped strawberries. Her mouth watered. It looked…too good to be true. Except for the fact that it was a dessert for two.

She knew this was a bad idea from the start! If only she could get out of it now. But there was no turning back. She had given her word, promised to help him with his lines in his new drama, which was apparently based on a true love story. In desperation, she had met Moko-san during her break earlier, frantically begging for advice on how to act like a sweet lover. Fortunately, Moko, despite not having a boyfriend in the past, had played similar roles successfully. But Kyouko didn't have sufficient time to stalk lovey dovey couples. Moko had scolded her for that one. "You need to plan out every role carefully! Though at least you're doing something about 'not losing'" she grumbled.

But, being Moko, she gave a small smile and asked, "So, you're having problems with your role again. What is it this time?" Kyouko had hugged her exuberantly, almost crying tears of joy.

"Yes..yes…I am indispensable to you," Moko sighed. "So, what's the problem?"

Kyouko hesitated. If she told Moko everything, it would mean that all her training under Kuu was pointless. She was supposed to learn how to develop the characters on her own and independently act them accordingly without relying on her partner's actions and reactions. But… she had no experience in dating, or lovey dovey scenes for that matter!

She drew in a deep breath.

"I need you to teach me how to flirt."

Taking in a slow bite of that delicious chocolate goodness, Ren noticed Kyouko's preoccupation. She was frowning at their dessert in consternation, her cheeks still tinged with rosy color. He looked at her curiously. It seemed that she really wasn't used to having a man in such close proximity. Or did she dislike chocolate? He paused, mid-bite. No, wait. All girls love chocolate. Right? Yashiro had been adamant about that fact last night over the phone.

She had performed exceptionally well. Far beyond his imagination. And much to his dismay, he actually found his attraction towards her growing. A fast spreading disease indeed, he thought, smiling a little. When he first laid eyes on her that night, he had to contain his shock – and that pleasant buzz of approval he felt at her appearance. His Kyouko was undeniably beautiful. And for once, he found more heads turning to take a second look – not at him, but at Kyouko; a fact that he was absurdly proud and pleased about.

He noted her slightly trembling fingers and the way her head drooped forward like a wilting flower. Perhaps he had overdone it after all. He leaned in towards her to get a good look at her face, brows furrowing slightly in apprehension. "Are you okay Kyouko-chan?"

Her head jerked forward, lifting those luminous eyes to meet his. "Ah! I'm so sorry Tsuruga-san! I was inattentive!"

"No…it's not that. You seemed tired, so I was a little worried," he patted her head gently, his smile filled with relief. "And at this stage, you should really just call me by my name."

Oh, right. She was supposed to be lovey dovey with him. Kyouko paused. But…to call him by his name…Wasn't that disrespectful of her esteemed senpai? She frantically ran through her last minute training with Moko, desperately trying to remember anything that would work in this situation.

Moko had referred to a couple she had stalked once. A disgustingly stupid couple that would attract more ants than sugar would, she had said rather scathingly. Kyouko had stared at her in bewilderment. How would people attract ants? And why would ants prefer people to sugar? It confounded her and she had said as much. Moko just gaped at her incredulously. "It's an analogy!" She sighed in weariness. "Anyway, about that couple I was talking about earlier, well… they were teasing each other endlessly using their first names. The girl would lean on the guy's arm and say 'Ta-ke-ru' and he'd bend down and kiss her head saying 'Hi-to-mi' in that sickeningly idiotic way. And that's all they did for the entire afternoon I was following them! How dumb can you get?!"

Kyouko's jaw had dropped open like a trapezoid, stunned. She shuddered in fear. Would she have to reenact such scenes? She desperately hoped not.

But it looked like her worst fears had come true. He was asking her to use his name! She squeezed her eyes shut, 'Ta-ke-ru's and 'Hi-to-mi's dancing energetically in her mind. And she looked up at him, eyes wide, pleading, begging him silently.

Ren turned away from her, hiding his choke and growing blush in his fist. That kind of look should be outlawed! He gave a wry grin. If she ever found out how much damage she could deal with that look, he'd be a goner.

"Anyway," he said, deliberately changing the subject. "Why didn't we ever talk about the things that we like?"

She smiled, feeling herself fall on more stable and more importantly, safe territory. "Well, I'd like to say I love the smell of flowers before they bloom, snowflakes on my tongue, rain after a picnic. But I'm really quite an ordinary person. I've never really had time to spare for myself in the past, and I'm only just beginning to learn to enjoy the simple things in life." She grinned more naturally, taking the sting out of her words. "What about you?"

"Long brown hair, gentle luminous eyes…"

She laughed aloud. "You really are impossible!"

"Ok, ok," he chuckled. "Well, let's see…I enjoy walks down a deserted beach where my path is illuminated by moonlight or stretching out in a nice comfy chair with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate…"

"And acting," she finished confidently.

He nodded with approval. "Yes. It's something I enjoy very much."

She smiled. Was that how it would be like as a professional actor? That kind of attitude was definitely something she aspired to. But surprise of surprises. He seemed somewhat...romantic. And it was something she could easily imagine him enjoying.

He took another bite of their dessert. "As for you, isn't that what you've always wanted? To be able to live for yourself, and not for others?"

She looked down at the table, feeling her confidence ebb away. It was what she wanted. But to want something so much came at a price, a price like what had been paid for so bitterly in the past. "Yes…," she whispered, clasping her hands together tightly.

"It's a good thing, isn't it?" Ren patted her soothingly on the shoulders. "In time, you'll learn not only to enjoy acting but also to love yourself and others. You'll discover more things about yourself; be it things that you like and dislike or even what and how you want to spend your life! The possibilities are endless if you'd just think about it for a minute. And soon you'll be able to graduate from being a Love-Me member!"

She nodded, burying her face partway into his shoulder, finding solace in his warmth. How was it that he knew how to put everything in perspective? Even his very presence could ease her fears and calm her heart. Only Tsuruga Ren could affect her in that manner. Well, other than Corn, she amended thoughtfully. How mysterious…. Both Kuon and Tsuruga-san had certain similarities to Fairy Prince Corn. Even in the past, Tsuruga-san had wrapped his arms around her, comforting her and teasing her fears away so effortlessly.

Ren relaxed in the little hug she had initiated so naturally. For her to actually seek comfort in his arms… he smiled tenderly at her, unwilling to be the one to break their hug first. At the back of his mind, he could imagine Yashiro chastising him for reflecting on the joy of small and trivial progress again.

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Lory pinched the bridge of his nose, worn-out from the earlier phone call he had received from his favorite granddaughter.

"Grandfather! Why didn't you tell me all about your plans! Nee-chan is an important person to me and so is Ren Nii-san! How could you leave me out of all this!" she had demanded. And then, all of a sudden her mood had deteriorated and she mumbled, "If not for the fact that Ren Nii-san was born 9 years too early, we would already be together." She heaved a little sigh, sounding far too grown up for her tender years. "And the voodoo dolls didn't work," she grumbled, mystifying her grandfather.

And so they had somehow acquired yet another conspirator in their little plan. Which had unfortunately become rather well-known amongst the staff at LME, with the exception of Ren and Kyouko of course.

Well, everything seemed to be going exceptionally well. He nodded with approval at the couple who had yet to disentangle themselves from each other. Kyouko was beginning to learn how to trust and rely on others, while Ren had already opened his heart and begun to accept the fact that he loves her. He wiped away a solitary tear. His children were all growing up.

His handphone rang again, disrupting his thoughts. Wincing slightly at the piercing ringtone, he made a mental note to change it the first chance he got. "Hello?"

"Takarada-san? This is Sawara. I just received a call from Sunset Productions asking for Kyouko-chan. They're making a new movie and it seems that she may be able to get one of the main characters if she does well in the auditions."

"Good, good. That is excellent news indeed. Thank you for informing me."

"Just doing my job. And by the way, I heard that Tsuruga-kun will also be attending the auditions for that movie as well. But, you may want to double check with Yashiro-san to confirm that," Sawara grinned into the phone, knowing full well the impact of his words.

Lory quirked an eyebrow. Fate did indeed have a way of twisting his plans around. Well, at least there was always Plan B.

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_**Blacktohru**: I put the line in!! (stares at chapter in shock) By the way, I'm not kidding about the 108" LCD TV. It's not a typo! Here - http:// www. foxnews. com/ story/ 0,2933,242431,00. html_

_As always, please let me know what you think! And give me more ideas!_

_Coming up – Chapter 4: The Beginning of Every End_


	4. Chapter 4: The Beginning of Every End

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh. But all the original characters are mine! MINE!

_**Blacktohru:**__ Thank you for all the lovely reviews! Cookies for La Jazz & ChibiVi3tKitsun3! This story seems to have evolved into something even I did not expect! Please bear with me and continue to feed me with ideas! Sometimes, all I need is a word or a phrase to inspire me. So…ideas anyone?_

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**Chapter 4**** – The Beginning of Every End**

Lory gave an uncharacteristic grin. Fate had dealt a strange card indeed but he wasn't about to just leave it as that. He glanced at Yashiro for confirmation.

"Kyouko's going to be in that movie as well?" Yashiro asked, his eyes round in surprise.

Lory lifted his brows at Yashiro. "You knew that Ren had a new role and you didn't inform me?"

Yashiro gulped. "Well…it wasn't confirmed yet and Ren wasn't too sure if he wanted to accept it."

"Ren wanted to turn it down? That's surprising. He shouldn't limit himself by doing jobs that he likes." Lory frowned, contemplating this new development. "Wait. Do you happen to have a copy of his script?"

"Yes. In fact, I think I have it with me now," Yashiro started digging through his briefcase. "Ah, here it is!" he slipped out a thick script and passed it to Lory.

The President glanced through the script, scanning for key points and noting down specific scenes. He grimaced. No wonder Ren had wanted to turn it down. It was the complete antithesis of Tsuruga Ren and uncannily reminiscent of Kuon. While the setting was different and very much dramatized, the character that Ren would play would definitely evoke old memories. But if things worked out somehow, it would heal many of those old wounds. If it didn't, it may destroy all that he had worked so hard for.

* * *

**Two Days L****ater**

* * *

The sunset was an artist's canvas of pinks and crimson, splashed on with abandon. Silhouettes of couples dotted the landscape as far as her eye could see. She had taken a walk along the beach on a whim, hoping to find inspiration and at the same time, peace. Instead, it brought a pang of nostalgia and longing. A sense of loneliness washed over her. Perhaps she should have waited till the moon was out, she mused silently, tucking her cold fingers in her jacket pocket. 

Her date, if that was what it was called, had been as perfect as Moko had described. Tsuruga-san had really surprised her when he asked her to be his pretend date for the evening. Her initial response was to snort and laugh whole-heartedly at the idea of him having problems with his role. But he had been so earnest, his expression so hopeful, that she just didn't have the heart to turn him down. She sighed. He was getting so many new roles after the success of Dark Moon. "How lucky…" she thought wistfully. "No, wait. It wasn't about luck. It's his skill that just captivates the audience. That's why he is in such high demand now!" she corrected herself forcefully.

She sat down on the beach, stretching out her legs. His encouraging words from their date had remained with her, and every now and again she would seek out places to visit, things to do, hoping that she would be able to discover more things about herself. Which was rather strange now that she thought it through. Who on earth would go on walks to find out who they are and what their existence meant?

Well, at least she had found that dusk wasn't her favorite time of the day. Or was it the beach that she didn't like? She began drawing doodles in the sand with her toes. Whatever it was, she seemed to feel even more depressed than she thought possible. The auditions for a new movie were drawing near and she felt completely unprepared for it. The director had specifically asked for her according to Sawara-san and she had initially felt a sense of accomplishment and pride upon hearing that! While it wasn't what she would normally have chosen, she had decided to heed Kuu's advice and just learn how to enjoy her roles and make it entirely her own.

Kyouko pulled out the script from her bag. Despite being busy with school work and Love-Me assignments, she had to find breaks in her schedule to prepare for her upcoming audition. But truth be told, deep down inside, she was excited! With a role that was completely unlike Mio, she could test her limits and spread her wings! And like what Kuu had said, she would learn to love her role and be so completely immersed in it to the point that, like in her role as Kuon, she would loathe to end that role. She flipped through the script. Little did the director know that she had already played the role of a boy in the past. Well…not officially of course. But her training would not go to waste!

Sighing a little, she realized that she was going to have trouble finding time to teach Ren how to cook; especially with the pending movie auditions. And to make things worse, she hadn't any idea how to portray her character properly! She wanted to ask…no beg him for advice, but it was something she really wanted to do on her own. With all her training at LME and even her meager experiences, she should be able to do it!

She carefully read through the synopsis.

**The Black Dragon**** –** The organization, Kokuryu-kai, also known as The Black Dragons, had always been known for its brutality. Infamous for being responsible for the majority of crimes across several states, the Police Force can no longer ignore their underworld presence. It is a thorn in their side they are determined to remove at all costs. Therefore, they send in two undercover agents to infiltrate the organization's intricate network and gain access to invaluable information – such as the mysterious identity of the evil overlord who oversees major factions of the underworld such as the Kaigun Kyokai (Navy League), or the Hoirusha Kai (Military Service Man's League). There were no pictures, no records, and no eye-witnesses who had lived to tell any tales. The only information they had was a name_Ryusei_ which was inherited by each succeeding leader.

Kyouko set the script down carefully. She had no experience working part-time in the police department! She groaned in dismay. How was she supposed to act out her part convincingly? She could ask Moko for help. But that defeated the purpose of her training, she mulled it over. She could search for information through the library! Well, it was a start at least…

Seagulls circled overhead, crying raucously, waking her from her reverie. Gentle gusts of wind teased her short hair. It was getting much colder now that the sun had set, she noted. Getting up, she dusted her jeans, removing remnants of sand that had stubbornly clung to the fabric. Streetlamps dotted the landscape, illuminating her path. It was time to go home.

For the life of him, Ren just couldn't figure out why the director had specifically asked for him. Slipping the script Yashiro had passed to him into his bag, he shook his head wonderingly. He had not done any dark roles in the past and he had never had any desire to do so in the future. But like the President had said, he needed to get his past behind him. And it was always good to do new roles to avoid being stereotyped in the future. He would audition for it, he thought decisively. With Dark Moon, he had his share of demons for several nights, worrying about how he would be able to release that mass of emotions he had sealed off so long ago. He had managed somehow, with help from Kyouko-chan, he thought, smiling tenderly.

For now, he had his current role to play. Yashiro had been strangely gleeful today, demanding that Ren practice his lines with Kyouko again. He had given the excuse of the new role being yet another romantic one and expounded on the importance of having a practice partner. Normally, he would have entertained the idea of Yashiro having a date considering his level of cheerfulness, but after dinner with Kyouko the other night, he now knew better. His manager seemed to have the oddest notion of fun, he thought whimsically.

He signed the card in front of him – 'To Kyouko-chan, thank you for accompanying me to dinner last night. I hope you like the flowers. From, Tsuruga Ren.' He nodded at the gaping shop attendant. "Could you send these flowers to that address by today?" he lifted a bouquet of red and yellow tulips. Sending flowers to a girl seemed cliché and old fashioned, but again, Yashiro had insisted. He shook his head in annoyance. Everyone seemed to be interfering with his life recently, he thought amidst his discomfiture. Whatever the case, he would never send roses to her. Not her.

* * *

**The Auditions – Two Weeks Later**

* * *

"Aaaannnddd….cut! Good job everyone! Kyouko-san, Kijima-san… we need a little more chemistry between you two. Overall, that was pretty good. Let's try out Scene 24 now," the director called out. "Stations everyone!" 

Kyouko sighed wearily. They had been at it for two hours straight. If the auditions were this bad, she didn't want to think about the actual filming. While it was a good thing for the director to be a perfectionist, the sky wouldn't collapse for a few minutes break. But who was she to complain, being an amateur actress who barely got her feet wet. She grabbed her script, scanning through the lines for Scene 24 to refresh her memory.

Behind her, Kijima-san was infuriated. "What the crap is wrong with the writers! Am I supposed to be a watering can or something? Why on earth must my character, Keiji Takeda be dropping tears all over the place!?" All the other stagehands gave a snort of disbelief, some quite unsuccessfully trying to hide their mirth by stuffing their faces in handkerchiefs. What a character! "Ahh…my image is going to collapse after all this is through!" he moaned dramatically.

Ren was just standing there, watching their performance stoically. He couldn't move, completely ignored Yashiro who had been trying to get his attention for the past five minutes.

'_It was an act! Yes, he knew that logically.'_

'_But he hugged her!' _

'_Damn it! It's an act! It's part of her job!'_

'_That damn playboy hugged her!' _

He almost frowned in consternation. If he didn't leave soon, his face would crack from the strain of holding that gentleman's façade. And Kijima-san would really have a broken nose.

Kyouko looked up from her current position on the set. Recognizing him, the corners of her eyes lifted, a welcoming smile on her lips.

He turned around and strode off.

When Ren reached the farthest end of the building, he allowed himself to exhale slowly. While he had prepared himself for acting somewhat differently than was his norm, he did not expect his feelings for her to present themselves in such a strange manner. She was not his girlfriend. She was an actress.

"Ara…is that you Tsuruga-kun?" a sultry feminine voice called out. "Why are you hiding away from everyone?"

He turned around to greet his co-star, managing to hide his chagrin. "Hello, Minami-san. I was just taking a walk to get some air."

She smiled at him flirtatiously. "There's no need for such formality between us. Just call me Yuuki."

Ren's smile froze on his face, and then became brighter. "Of course," he sidestepped her request adroitly. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take this phone call," he reached into his pocket and withdrew his cell phone.

Her eyes narrowed. There was no way she would let him get away so easily. She followed him at her own pace, shamelessly eavesdropping on his conversation.

"Yes…yes…that'll be fine. My manager will handle all the details. Thank you," he hung up.

She jogged a little to catch up with his long strides and clasped onto his arm, refusing to let go.

Ren sighed mentally. He suddenly felt exhausted. He headed back to the set with Minami Yuuki clinging to his arm.

Kyouko looked up, seeing he had returned. Frowning a little, she walked up to Ren, feeling that absurd urge to drag him away from his co-star. "I need to talk to you. Could you spare a minute?" she looked at Minami Yuuki pointedly.

"I'll be seeing you around then, Tsuruga-kun," she blew him a kiss.

Kyouko glowered at her, unable to contain her animosity. Shaking her head a little at that public display of affection, she looked up at Ren, who had a bewildered look on his face. "Will you be free for dinner after this? I'll cook."

His face lit up at her suggestion. "Sure. What's for dinner?"

"Donburi. Is that okay? Or would you rather try something else? I was actually considering curry udon, but taking in consideration the fact that you're so prone to falling sick, you really can't afford to lose your voice now."

"Aa, maybe we could try cooking curry another day," he smiled, allowing that warm glow to wash over him. She really hadn't changed all that much, he mused silently. Ever so kind and considerate.

"I know I promised to teach you how to make nikujaga, but that will have to wait for now," Kyouko nodded, more than a little preoccupied. Why had she reacted that way? It wasn't like he hadn't had any girlfriends in the past and it was natural for girls and women to flock to him. But why did that annoy her so? And why was she so aggravated about the whole situation? She sighed. No sense in getting dejected over that for now. She had more than enough problems without having to examine those complicated feelings further.

Her heart seemed to constrict itself often when it came to dealing with Tsuruga Ren. A strange feeling indeed. She shook her head. There were more important things at stake. She was perfectly healthy and there was no reason for any heart problems at such a young age.

* * *

**A Few Hours Later At Ren's Apartment**

* * *

"Mmm…good food…" he sighed blissfully. 

She laughed aloud. "That really makes you sound as if you've been living off junk food for several years!"

"I usually just get an obento from a nearby convenience store. I just don't have the time or the energy to bother cooking. Plus, eating is just not my priority."

"You just need someone to look after you," she mumbled.

"Are you offering to take up that responsibility?" he leaned in towards her teasingly.

"Ara, aren't I looking after you now, anata?" she smiled at him, slipping into her familiar role of an ardent girlfriend easily.

Ren choked. '_Anata???'_He hadn't expected that kind of response from her. But the sheer sweetness of that reply was his undoing. He stared into her eyes, unable to hide his emotions.

She bit her lip and hesitated. That wasn't the kind of reaction she was supposed to evoke from him, right? He looked so serious, so earnest. His eyes seeming to search her very soul for answers to questions only he knew.

His mind had decided to completely blank out at that moment. He couldn't think. Didn't know how to reply. All he wanted was to take her in his arms and demand whether she had really meant what she had said. Could it really be true? Or would it remain a sweet blissful dream of 'anata's and home-made bentos specially made for him with her love? He could definitely imagine a lifetime of that. But as always, such dreams remained dreams, taunting him, dangling barely within reach and eventually swirling into white clouds of dissipating mist.

He suddenly imagined her decked out in a frilly apron, offering him a bento, complete with a heart-shaped furikake, and lifting those luminous eyes to his face, calling him, "Anata…" He clenched his eyes shut, fighting to control that impulse to blush.

"Gomenasai! I was too forward!"

He looked up at her, startled.

"I just thought it would be appropriate since I was supposed to be practicing your lines with you…"

'_Oh, it was just for that…' _Ren sighed inwardly. "Of course," he replied as smoothly as he could. "I was just distracted for a moment." There was no way his wishes could come true just like that, he berated himself. Life just wasn't that easy. And as usual, fate always had its way of interfering with his life. Yes, life with Kyouko would never be dull or boring. It was a damned rollercoaster without brakes or railings to hold on to when it came to her. She just had her way of sneaking into his heart and turning him into a nervous wreck with little effort. He leaned back in his chair and smiled. Only she could move his heart in this manner.

* * *

_**Blacktohru:**__ I'm going to be insanely busy soon, so I just had to finish this chapter. Hope this update will satisfy everyone for the time being! Please review and let me know what you think! I'm trying my very best to update as soon as possible and each review is very inspirational and uplifting. As always, ideas are welcome! _

_**Next up: **__**Chapter 4a - The Beginning of Every End. **_

**A list of translated Japanese phrases:**

aa – "yeah"

ara – "oh my"

anata – an endearment i.e. "dear"

gomenasai – "I'm sorry"

maa, maa - "easy now," "there there,"  
un - "yeah" or "uh-huh"

kakkowarui – "uncool"

Donburi – is basically a dish consisting of simmered meat and vegetables simmered over rice. E.g. Katsudon, Oyakodon, Temagodon, Gyudon, Unadon

Nikujaga - soy-flavored meat and potato stew

Bento or Obento – Japanese lunch boxes than can be home-made or store bought

Furikake – a Japanese condiment meant to be sprinkled on top of rice


	5. Chapter 4a  The Beginning of Every End

**Skip Beat - ****The Yashiro Conspiracy **

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh. But all the original characters are mine! MINE!

_**Blacktohru:**__ I meant to update this chapter together with Chapter 4 since it runs parallel. Sorry about confusing everyone. I had some Internet problems, but it's fixed! Thank goodness. Just to reply to some queries I received: I have absolutely no idea how long this story is going to be. I have written drafts up to Chapter 6, but they are far from complete. Secondly, I understand my usage of Japanese phrases are definitely lacking since my knowledge of the language is limited. Thank you for correcting me. I will try my best to keep it as accurate as I can. Thirdly, in my Author's Notes in the previous chapter, I'm not kidding when I said I'm going to be insanely busy. So, if there are any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes or anything wrong for that matter, please let me know. I'm usually quite fastidious about that especially since I don't have a beta reader. In the meantime, please bear with me and enjoy this chapter! (__FYI, words that are in italics indicate the movie sequences)  
_

* * *

**Chapter ****4a – The Beginning of Every End – The Movie**

_He was running, dashing down narrow side lanes and dank back alleys at breakneck speed. His breaths came in heavy pants and painful gasps, his lungs refusing to allow intake of the icy cold air. It was dusk, promising to be a dark, moonless night, the fog cloaking the city in a dense cloud. The temperature had dropped to a chilling minus twenty. But all that had ceased to matter. The crowds had thinned out long ago, leaving him with no hiding places and no innocent bystanders to hide behind. _

_A gunshot rang out from behind him, alerting him to the proximity of his pursuer. He uttered a low curse. The walls were closing in on him, trapping him in this endless cycle. Ahead, a twenty foot tall chain link fence blocked his path. He tempted the fates and leaped on a convenient crate. He grabbed the fence, finding footholds unerringly. He was wide open. Any moment now, he thought frantically, expecting that piercing whine of the bullet and that crushing pain that would accompany it. _

_He cleared the fence, landing somewhat ungracefully but rolling to his feet immediately. Refusing to look back, he continued on, forcing his aching muscles to push its limits. His pursuer had not fallen far behind. And the shot not taken earlier had proven his guess. The predator was enjoying the hunt. Icy cold fingers seemed to trail down his spine, evoking an involuntary shiver. Perspiration and blood soaked his shirt and dripped onto the floor. A blood trail. That wasn't a good thing. He grabbed a t-shirt off someone's clothesline, wrapping it tightly around his blood-sodden arm. It was beginning to feel somewhat numb and a large, ugly bruise marked it. _

_It seemed that his earlier mishap had compromised his arm to some extent. It wasn't an accident. Someone had taken a shot at his tires, the force of the puncture throwing him off his motorcycle. He had landed somewhat awkwardly on his side, his arm taking the brunt of the fall. The adrenalin rush had completely nullified the pain. Getting caught or killed was not an option. _

_Fortunately for him, he knew these grimy roads like the back of his hand, having lived and explored around that area his entire life. He turned a corner, ducking under low rotting beams and avoiding those innocent cracks in the pavement that could betray his trust and open its jaws wide to receive him in the form of a pothole. This was his turf. He reached out, grabbing a few bottles he had stored there for this purpose. He threw it behind him blindly, hoping that at least one of them would hit his tracker on the head and solve his problems. But luck was not so kind. The contents burst, excreting thick clouds of smoke and a putrid stench. _

_He grinned, basking in the exclamations and curses he heard from behind. His unfortunate tail would stink to high heaven for the next week or so. And THAT smell would make the crowd delight in the fragrance of skunks. Revenge, however petty, was sweet anyway._

* * *

"_I can't believe you actually managed to lose Trigger," he remarked calmly. "He's our prized toy at the moment. He's our little assassin though he had a slightly different assignment this time. I'm sure you would have loved to meet him up close and personal, but for now, he is a little… shall we say, indisposed."_

_He stared at the tall man standing in front of him. He was easily six-eight with thick corded muscles under that heavy trench coat. From the sound of little scuffles and echoes in the alley, he estimated a total of three bodyguards, probably armed and dangerous. His escape routes seemed to be blocked...but perhaps…_

"_What do you want?" he sneered, spitting out the words insolently. He glanced surreptitiously around him. There had to be a way out…_

_The tall man laughed heartily. "Why, YOU of course! You'll be well taken care of under us and there are plenty of benefits."_

_He snorted in disbelief. "Like…?"_

"_Food. Any amount you want, whatever pleases you. Freshly caught lobster baked with cheese and seasoned with delicate herbs, steak grilled to perfection with our in-house chef's special sauce, creamed scallops topped with caviar and served with the finest truffle sauce, triple chocolate mousse cake studded with rosy strawberries and fresh whipped cream…"_

_He hesitated. It was appealing indeed. Food was scarce in these areas, and honest work was just unavailable. _

"_Lodgings. Your very own room, complete with a king size bed, soft fluffy down feather pillows and cable TV. Plus, you get to stay in a hotel whenever necessary."_

"_Money?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly._

"_Of course. You'll be paid handsomely upon completion of your job."_

"_How much?" he demanded._

"_Well, that would depend, wouldn't it! For now, since you're in dire need of some funds, I could spare you about one and five. Would that suffice for now? Get yourself cleaned up and get a new set of clothes. What you have on isn't very appropriate with what I have in mind."_

"_One and five?" he almost squeaked._

"_Yeap. One million, five hundred thousand yen. It should be enough to cover it," he gestured towards one of his bodyguards who then removed a thick roll of bills from his pocket. "My name is Hideki Touyama and you'll be working with me."_

* * *

**Two**** years later**

* * *

_The organization was not above doing many things, he mused, tapping his fingers against the polished veneer of his oak desk. Assassination, drugs, alcohol, counterfeit notes, blackmail, loan sharks, gambling; any form of debauchery. They had individual divisions for crying out loud! It was a large organization, their territory spanning several states. And this…this was HQ. _

_Looking back, he had come quite far. Starting off from the bottom meant that he understood the workings of the organization from inside out. And he knew where the strengths and weaknesses of these men lay. Their priorities were with those who had the most power, the most money. As for power, that wasn't an issue. He had trained under the best, perfecting martial arts, gun techniques and espionage skills. He would not be disadvantaged in any situation. Yes, he was ranked the best in the entire organization after learning the succession technique from his late master. Though technically and more accurately, his late, murdered master, he thought contemptuously, absently stroking the mark of his sins – the tattoo of a slender black dragon that snaked down his left arm. _

_He uttered an oath under his breath. While the workings of the organization weren't beneath him, he still felt that need to retain his principles when it counted. Or rather, there were certain things he just couldn't abide. It was after the leader's death had he learnt that he had been handpicked for the sole purpose of taking over in the future. And so, he had taken over that position the year he turned eighteen. Perhaps Hideki Touyama had had a premonition of his own death and had made all the arrangements necessary should that exceedingly unlikely event were to occur. _

_He snorted in disdain. In this organization, no one knew who the leader was save the top three. And all three were the leader's personal, glorified bodyguards who doubled as advisors when necessary. Whatever the case, they were still bodyguards specialized in armed combat. Protecting the leader and his identity was their only goal in life. Even the lower ranks never realized that their previous leader had passed not two weeks ago and the three had heralded him in as the new leader with aplomb. _

_Habits were hard to break, or so Touyama-san had oft quoted. While you could pull the child out of the streets, the dirt would always remain somehow. He was of the streets. He had grown up there and lived there for the most part of his life. He knew how it felt to starve for days on end, feeling his stomach digest itself. He knew insanity, had stared it in the face when his own father had stabbed him in the stomach when he was ten. _

_From his guess, he estimated a total of eighty five percent were from the streets like him, either jobless or living the life of a drudge before joining the organization. The rest, were on the other end of the line – militia (including the Kempei Tai), diplomats, politicians, wealthy businessmen and that occasional rich man's brat. Whatever the case, they were the front for his organization. His façade and his financiers. And like any other symbiosis, they of course reaped benefits for their association with the underworld. _

_The dark side of the organization? Other than your typical underworld traits involving the usual drugs and murders, he had stumbled across a small division, created fifteen years ago. He had been flipping through old records his predecessors had painstakingly written down over the years, in an attempt to learn more about the workings of the organization. He read through that entry, bile rising in his throat. The descriptions were… vivid. Every single victim's name, address, blood type and photograph were organized neatly in a somewhat diabolical database. And below that was a list of parts that had been salvageable. Body parts. It was a lucrative business, according to the diary. Especially for those who were unable to acquire transplants – no matter how much money they offered to the hospitals. And so it became the organization's brain-child to salvage any assassinated target's body parts and sell it to the highest bidder. _

_At the bottom of that entry, Touyama-san had written, as if to justify such a heinous act: "If such a lie brings happiness, what's wrong with it?"_

* * *

**Back At The Set**

* * *

Ren exhaled, trying to release himself from that role. To willingly slip into the darkness again just to perform his best was courting danger. Images of his past had been superimposed on several scenes, reopening old wounds he thought he had sewn shut so long ago. He drew another painful breath, willing his heart rate to slow down and the blood to stop pounding in his ears. He half wished that he hadn't taken on this role, but The President had been persuasively convincing. Or rather, he had pulled that long, sad face on him again. It was downright annoying how the President could twist him around like that. He almost frowned with consternation. How could a fully grown man, already old enough to have a granddaughter, bear to present such a face to the public? He could just imagine how the corners of Lory's mouth twisted downwards when he was displeased and how his lips would wobble slightly. The worst was his eyes which could practically scream his disapproval and discontentment. Ren clenched and unclenched his fists, forcing his muscles to relax and his brain to erase that maddening image as he turned to look at the Director. 

Before him, his audience, the crew members were stupefied, their mouths slightly agape. He frowned at them slightly. No point continuing to scare anyone else. He wanted to have THAT kind of impact in his movies. Not on the set. He shrugged mentally. At least that was a relatively good gauge of how his audience would feel and react to his role when the movie was released.

"Cut," he said softly, hoping to wake everyone from their stupor without shocking them too much.

* * *

**National Police Safety Commission (NPSC) Headquarters**

* * *

"_Do you really believe that you'd be able to infiltrate this organization? We've spent countless number of years trying to bring them down to no avail! We are the NPSC and I will not stand for further failure!"_

"_YES SIR!"_

"_Good. You will all be put through a grueling test, specifically designed for this purpose. The best two will be the undercover agents. The remaining will be the support team. Understand?"_

"_YES SIR!"_

"_The rest of the information is in the files. Dismissed!"_

_Tetsuo Katsukara was about to depart to his office when he caught sight of the one and only female officer on his team. He snorted with contempt. _

"_Hey, you!" he called out to her._

"_Yes, sir."_

"_What do you think you're doing?" he looked down the end of his long nose at her. _

"_I'm preparing myself for the test as all the others are, sir."_

"_You're in the way__. Don't bother with the test," he snubbed her bluntly. _

"_Uhm, sir, I don't mean to be rude but she's been on our team for years and she's acquired the highest scores in all the tests we've been put through thus far," a tall man next to her spoke up. Around him, the others nodded in agreement. _

"_Your name, Private!"_

"_Keiji Takeda, sir!"_

"_Taking tests and the real world are very different," he sneered. "One mistake can cost everyone's life and jeopardize the success of this operation! Girls are just a liability!" _

_Behind him, she removed her police issue cap, shaking her long tresses free. With her double edged combat knife, she sliced off her hair neatly, cropping it close to her nape like a boys. _

_Keiji gasped. "Miyu-san! Your hair!"_

_She met and held her superior's gaze with supreme confidence. "I am no liability."_

* * *

**Back At The Set**

* * *

Kyouko breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. While all the crew members had warned her about how sharp that knife was, she had still managed to nick herself a little. She sucked on the cut, thankful that it was only a superficial wound and would not present any problems when acting. Inwardly, she berated herself on her carelessness. "You're supposed to be as professional as possible. That was such an amateurish mistake." 

From the sidelines, Ren noted her worried frown. Something had happened, but it didn't seem too major. He watched her lick and suck her finger furtively. Had she cut herself? The image of him drawing her slender fingers into his mouth, sucking and licking them gently flashed through his mind. He flushed slightly, wishing that he could be the one to soothe her aches. Unfortunately, that kind of intimate gesture would scandalize everyone.

Kijima Hidehito, who was playing Keiji Takeda, rushed to her side. "Did you cut yourself?" he asked worriedly. "Better put something on that in case it gets infected." He called out to a passing crew member, "Could you get a first aid box here please?"

Kyouko smiled at him. "Arigato Hidehito-san."

"It's no problem. And by the way, call me Kijima-san, ne? We'll be working together closely after all," he patted her shoulder.

"Hai, Kijima-san."

Ren watched this byplay, steeling himself against that onslaught of turbulent emotions that suddenly welled up. Making a mental note to have a talk with her about it later, he walked away reluctantly.

* * *

**The Undercover Operation**

* * *

"_Aww, jeez! Do you not have any pride as a man__, Keiji-san?! How could you just let yourself get caught so easily? You didn't even put up a fight!"_

"_Hai…hai…" _

"_And you call yourself a cop?! What about all that bragging about how you'd send this organization to its knees?"_

"_Maa…maa… I wanted to get here anyway and getting caught was the easiest way! Aren't I a genius?"_

_Miyu__ snorted. "Yeah. So how do you plan to get out of this mess now?"_

"_Uhh, I just need to get out of these cuffs first. Then we'll make a plan."_

"_What?! You didn't have any plans after getting caught?" she raised her eyes heavenward. "How did I ever get stuck with you as a partner?" _

"_But…but! You always looked up to me when you were young! Isn't that why you decided you wanted to join the Force after all?" he had tears in his eyes, looking at her beseechingly. "I was so proud when you got your badge!"_

_Rolling her eyes in disbelief, she muttered, "Puppy dog eyes can only get you that far." She sighed. "Why don't you try using them on the guards outside? Perhaps they may be more gullible."_

_He brightened considerably. "Really? Good idea!" _

_

* * *

_

"_I see we have acquired some rats," a burly man shuffled into the leader's room._

"_Hmm," he grunted, not paying attention. Rats were acquired on a daily basis. Not a surprising thing considering the fact that they were THE people to go to. Work was piling up and he didn't have time to deal with the mundane. _

"_I think they're cops."_

_He looked up, giving the stocky man a hard look. "You say that every time someone joins us."_

_The man cowered slightly. While the ex-boss had been as hard as stone, this new one just gave him the chills. "You can't be too careful."_

"_Well, it's your duty to find out and keep those idiots away from us," he gave the man with a glare. "There's something else more urgent. The Fifth Clan head informed me there's a mole somewhere around. Find him and call Trigger in," he dismissed him with a curt nod. These damn duties kept him on his toes around his three bodyguards. While they were fiercely loyal to the organization, he knew that they had secretly coveted the position he held long before the passing of Touyama-san. _

_

* * *

_

_The two undercover agents who were now prisoners stared at each other. The burly man in front of them cracked his bull whip threateningly. They had two choices. Cry piteously and hope that their cover story would hold up or fight him and just about everyone else in the organization and escape. _

_She stared at Keiji, willing him to understand her thoughts. 'It was your idea in the first place! Plus, the added benefit of you having practice just about every day.'_

_His smile wobbled slightly at her penetrating stare. Did he really have to cry again? Kakkowarui… _

_She frowned. 'You cry all the time, don't you? It should be a piece of cake.'_

_He heaved a tiny sigh. 'Fine. Fine. I'll do it. But you owe me for this one.'_

"_We were kicked out of our homes," he suddenly cried out, startling the brawny man. Crocodile tears rolled down his cheeks. "We didn't know where else to go! My little si-… brother would have starved!"_

_Behind him, she arched an eyebrow. Would that lame story hold up? She would get him later for nearly blowing her cover as a boy. Outwardly, she bent her head, feigning tears. _

"_Oh really?" the man replied, still swinging that bull whip. _

'_Crap. He didn't buy it!' she thought frantically. They needed to think of something else and quickly! _

_Keiji was still putting up that act for all he was worth. Failure would mean instant death, which could be quite lenient on their part, he thought dismally. He had no choice. It was now or never. "Our cousin recommended that we come here!" he blurted out. _

"_And who might your cousin be?"_

"_Koujirou Kazuomi."_

"_You're cousins with Koujirou-san?" he snorted. Turning, he nodded at the guard outside, "Confirm it."_

* * *

**An Hour Later**

* * *

"_Damn it Keiji-san! You nearly screwed things up!"_

_He shook his head. "It was a big risk, Miyu-san. We knew that."_

"_Yeah! But that name was to be our last resort! Do you know what the consequences will be should we be found out?"_

"_Yep!" he grinned cheerfully. "We didn't have a choice, did we? Did you want me to wait until he started testing out that bull whip on us before I used that name?"_

_She gulped. "No…but there had to be another way!"_

"_We're in and that's all that matters! We got a relatively comfortable room for two instead of a private cell with rats as our roommates. Now…where's the food? I'm hungry!" he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, steering her to the direction of the mess hall. _

"_Only you would think of your stomach at a time like this," she laughed. He was a great partner despite his occasional weird tendencies._

* * *

**Several Hours Later**

* * *

"_Mom? You were late!"_

"_I know, I know. I'm sorry. All my work caught up with me…"_

"_Now, where have I heard that excuse before?" he sighed._

"_I won't let it happen again dear…" she turned around to smile at him. "How was your da-"_

_A car slammed into the rear of her Toyota Camry, cutting off her sentence, the harsh sound of crumpling metal piercing her ears, the force throwing her head forward, slamming her face against the steering wheel. The windshield shattered, raining crystalline glass shards all over her. The air bag exploded in her face, robbing her of breath momentarily. Behind her, she heard the screams of her eight year old son. _

"_Ugghhh...Kaede….?" she moaned. "Kaede? Are you okay?"_

"_Mom?"_

_She heard the sound of her rear car door opening. A man reached inside._

"_Is my son okay? Is he okay!?" she struggled with her seatbelt, tugging on it frantically, her vision seemingly blurred. _

_The man lifted her son out of the car effortlessly, ignoring her panicked screams at him. He dashed off to a nearby vehicle, depositing her son inside. Tires screeched shrilly as the car accelerated off. _

"_KAEDE!!!"_

* * *

_She was screaming. Sweat dotted her brow, her fingers frozen, her face deathly pale. That dream again! It played out in the exact same manner it had for the past ten years. The face of a son she didn't have, kidnappers she had never met and the resulting trauma from just experiencing it over and over again. She rubbed a weary hand over her face, still imagining glass shards embedded into her skin. The way the blood had flowed down her face seemed far too real for a dream. The hair at the back of her neck prickled suddenly. She swiftly turned, her hands closing into defensive fists, ready to attack at a moment's notice._

"_Miyu-san! Hey…it's okay…it's okay… I've got you…" he enclosed her in his arms in a bear hug. _

"_Damnit, Keiji-san! I almost took you out! Can't you warn me before you do that!? Do you want a broken nose?"_

"_Well, if it makes you feel any better…"_

"_Damn masochist…"_

"_Yep. And proud of it!"_

_Despite herself, she chuckled, albeit slightly weakly. _

"_That dream again?" he sobered. _

"_Yeah. They've been recurring with alarming frequency these past few days. I haven't been able to get a decent night's sleep."_

"_Here," he patted the spot next to him. "I'll be right next to you, so you can sleep easy, ne?" _

"_Un…" she mumbled, curling up next to him. "Thanks, partner."_

"_No probs, kiddo," he patted her head gently._

* * *

_**Blacktohru:**__ Hope this long update will satisfy everyone for the time being! Just a little historical note:_

**National Public Safety Commission** (NPSC - 国家公安委員会 Kokka Kōan Iinkai). Its purpose (as in this fic) was to watch and control the activities of extremists and activists. Here I am portraying them as a stand-alone unit. Being insulated from any political pressures and having the authority to act autonomously, they are definitely a force to be reckoned with. Tetsuo Kutsukake is the chairman, tho I kinda demoted him in this fic.

**The Kokuryu-ku aka The Black Dragons** really did exist in Japan, sometime around 1895 or even earlier. It was formed as an espionage program, together with the Genyosha (Dark Ocean Society) to link organized criminal syndicates (aka the Yakuza). Mitsuru Toyama was actually the Dark Ocean founder and mentor to The Black Dragons. Unlike how I portrayed them in this fic, the real Black Dragons were active outside of Japan in places such as the Pacific Coast of North and South America.

**The Kempeitai** (憲兵隊) aka Corps of Law Soliders was established in 1881. Consisting of around 349 men, it was modeled after _la Gendarmerie Nationale_ of France, acting as the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army where they dealt with general public security and intelligence.

**List of Characters**

Tsuruga Ren – Ryusei: Leader of The Black Dragons

Mogami Kyouko – Miyu Takahashi: Undercover agent for NPSC

Kijima Hidehito – Keiji Takeda: Miyu's partner

Minami Yuuki – Reiko Otohime: Ren's co-star

Tetsuo Katsukara – Keiji Takeda's superior in the NPSC (modeled after Tetsuo Kutsukake)

Hideki Touyama – Ex-Leader of the Black Dragons (modeled after Mitsuru Toyama)

Koujirou Kazuomi – Keiji Takeda & Miyu's "cousin"

**A list of translated Japanese phrases:**

aa – "yeah"

ara – "oh my"

maa, maa - "easy now," "there there,"

un - "yeah" or "uh-huh"

kakkowarui – "uncool"

* * *

_**Blacktohru:**__Like it? Hate it? I hope that this chapter clears up all your doubts and misunderstandings regarding the previous chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! Ideas anyone? _

_**Next up: **__**Chapter 5 - The End of Every Line. **_


	6. Chapter 5: The End of Every Line

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

Blacktohru: Thank you to all my faithful readers! I apologize for the delay and I hope that this chapter will make up for it! This story is taking a life of its own (it usually wakes up and writes itself around 1-3am) Happy New Year!

(edit: Changes made on 7 September 2008)

* * *

**Chapter 5 – The End of Every Line**

Dinner with Ren had become a common occurrence of late, she thought with wonder. In the past, she could count with one hand the number of times he had voluntarily spoken to her. But now, it seemed that he enjoyed her company as much as she did his. Whatever the reason, she had another cooking lesson planned for that evening.

Hurriedly stuffing her school books into her sling bag, she exited the Love-Me office, still muttering to herself. Ren's cooking had improved somewhat, after several missed attempts and two blackened saucepans later. That thought brought a whimsical smile to her lips. Who would have known that the perfect Tsuruga Ren could be so clumsy in the kitchen? Admittedly, he never had the need to learn how to cook. He could always go to a restaurant for meals or he could just pick up the phone and have his meals delivered. And for that, she admired him for taking the effort to actually learn such skills. Absentmindedly, she considered the possibility of Ren getting a role as a chef and she imagined him bedecked from head to toe in a chef's pure white uniform. Or perhaps he would be forced to wear one of those pastel pink flowery aprons. She choked back a laugh.

While it was true that actors and actresses could pick up certain skills through an instructor when the role called for it, sometimes, prior knowledge could be the determining factor in auditions, as she had learnt firsthand during her Love Me job with Ruriko Matsunai. Even with her current role as Miyu Takahashi, she had required coaching in the art of hand-to-hand combat, sword skills and gun techniques. She bit her lip. While roles as such were not exactly her favorite, such knowledge could prove useful if she ever encountered stalkers such as Beagle Reino. Her lips curled into an evil grin. Yes, those skills would come in handy if he ever had the misfortune to meet her again.

In fact, she kind of wanted to meet him again, just to see him fall flat on his face. Preferably in front of a live audience. Definitely good promotion for the current movie. Yes, that would be interesting indeed.

* * *

**At Ren's Place**

* * *

They were in the middle of making sushi. Folding the rice with a wooden spoon, she glanced over at Ren who was staring blindly at the ingredients set out on his kitchen table. Gesturing with her wooden spoon, she asked, "Would you like to try folding the rice?"

He nodded his acquiescence. Taking the spoon from her, he began to imitate what she did earlier perfectly. She watched him carefully. So he had been paying attention after all. But that look of intense concentration on his face seemed off somehow. If she hadn't known him better, she could have been fooled.

"Ano, Tsuruga-san? What's wrong? You seem rather down today."

He gently placed the wooden spoon on the table and focused on something outside his window. But that blank face meant that his mask was up again. She eyed him with a worried frown. Could she convince him to talk to her? In the past, he had never attempted to bring his problems to anyone else. Even to Yashiro-san. But perhaps…

"…scene…"

She whipped her head around. Had he said something? "I beg your pardon? I didn't quite catch what you said."

His aura of depression seemed to intensify further at her words.

"I said, 'There's going to be a kiss scene, right?'" he repeated, rather unsuccessfully hiding his dejected sigh.

"Aa, I'm a little skeptical about that but Kijima-san has been really kind to me!" she replied cheerfully, expertly forming rice balls into triangular shapes and placing them neatly into a long plate next to her.

"Oh? He has?"

"Un! He said that we could practice first before filming the actual shot if I feel nervous about it. That was really nice of him!"

"Practice??" he stared at her sharply, his brows furrowing in disgust and horror.

'_That bastard…_'

He breathed deeply, willing himself to cool down. '_She's just thinking about acting. I can't blame her for being so innocent. But still! There are limits to being so gullible!'_

"There's no need to practice with him," he blurted out.

"Eh?" she replied, uncertain of his mood.

"You can practice with me."

He leaned his hands on the tabletop, trying to resist the urge to slam his fists against it in frustration. He had shot his mouth off again! When it came to her, the link between his mouth and his brain always seemed to shut down temporarily.

'_Calm down. It wouldn't help for you to lose it now.'_

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

The image of her, with her arms around another man. Her soft cherry red lips pressed against…

He closed his eyes, willing for the pain to pass.

'_No! Damnit! She's here. I can't lose my temper now.' _

He drew in another breath and choked. The sound of her laughter, her shining smile directed at _that_ man. He had never wanted to strangle Kijima Hidehito this much before.

'_Love makes you do stupid things. I know that logically. But this is really too much.'_

The myriad of feelings swirled within him. Love. Tenderness. Anger. Hatred. Possessiveness. Jealousy.

Kyouko's heart went out to him. She had never seen him strike such a pose of abject defeat and depression before. She reached out, touching his arm gently, hesitantly, raising worried brown eyes to his face.

"Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No…" he cleared his throat. "I'm okay. I just need to…," he coughed, cleared his throat again.

She ran for a glass of water. "Here…"

He drank, taking large gulps of water. "Un…thanks."

She frowned. "Is there really nothing I can do to help? You can confide in me anytime, Tsuruga-san."

He gave her a watery smile. "Thank you, Kyouko-chan. But it's okay."

"No!"

He stared at her, startled.

"You're coughing again. I'll stay over and take care of you."

"There's really no need…"

"We're friends aren't we, Tsuruga-san?" she narrowed her eyes. "Friends help each other out. Plus, we really can't afford to have you fall sick."

'_Friends? We?'_

"We?"

"Yes. Yashiro-san, Takarada-san, Kijima-san, the director, the crew, staff members, all your co-actors and actresses. You can't work properly if you're sick."

'_Kijima-san…? Right. Work.'_

"What about you?"

"Me? Of course I'm worried about you! If I weren't, I wouldn't offer to stay and take care of you, right?"

He nodded, feeling exhaustion seep into his bones.

"I'll make okayu for you again, so just go lie down first while I prepare it, okay?"

He nodded again, feeling relieved but slightly disappointed at the same time.

'_She's here. She's staying. She said that we're friends.'_

He walked unsteadily to his bed and collapsed on it. He rolled over, listening for the sounds of her presence. The clinking of cutlery and a soft humming of a tune. He envisioned a lifetime of having her with him and his heart clenched.

'_If only…'_

He let his eyelids droop and slid into a light doze.

He dreamt. Dreamt of her. The cheery smile on her face. For him. The sound of her gentle, soothing voice. For him. The feeling of her enveloped in his arms. That reassuring touch of her soft hands holding his. All for him. He imagined the good times they had together. And dreamt of the future they could have together.

"_Tsuruga-san?"_

"_Kyouko"_

The dream wavered. Became pieces of fractured glass.

"_No…Kyouko!"_

"_Tsuruga-san??"_

"_Don't go! Please! Don't…"_

_His dream self reached out for her, held her close to him, cuddling her, relishing her warmth, her fragrance. He relaxed, calmed down._

"_Kyouko… I… I've always…"_

He slept peacefully.

* * *

He woke up the next day. Found himself wrapped securely in warm blankets. A bowl of okayu sat within reach. He sat up slowly, feeling completely disoriented but feeling remarkably rested. But something didn't seem to fit into that picture. He was forgetting something. Something important.

He shrugged and stretched, loosening his stiff muscles. It would come back to him soon. It always did.

He slowly made his way into the bathroom. He needed a hot shower to wake himself up. The hot spray revived him but that nagging feeling wouldn't go away.

His stomach grumbled.

Okayu.

Kyouko.

_Crap. _

He hurriedly turned off the tap and toweled himself speedily. Pulling on a bath robe, he strode towards the living room. Everything was in perfect order. The kitchen was clean. He glanced towards his guest bedroom. The door was wide open. Her shoes and her bag were gone. The apartment was quiet.

He changed with superhuman speed, got into his car and drove straight to LME.

'_She should be there. She's okay.' _

He hit the brakes. Cell phone. He reached into his pocket, pressing the speed dial for her number, hands trembling slightly.

'_Answering machine. Damn.' _

He revved his engine, tires squealing as he hit the accelerator amidst the cacophony of blaring horns. He reached LME in record time, not bothering to park his car properly. He took off at a brisk pace, short of running.

'_Let her be here. Let her be safe.'_

He strode down corridors, his tall stature giving him an added advantage.

'_She's not here…'_

He headed towards the Love-Me Section's office, barging in without bothering to knock. A glaring pink uniform stared back at him.

"Kyouko-chan…"

"Is not here."

Kotonami Kanae glared at him. "She is not here," she repeated forcefully.

"Ah…," he blinked. "Do you know where she is?"

She shook her head. "She was supposed to be in here by 8am. But she's late," she grumbled. "She's never late!"

Ren's heart sank. He turned around and strode off without another word. He turned at a corner and unerringly pushed a small button on a wall. Two huge double doors slid open silently, beckoning the way into the President of LME's private office.

He wasted no time with formalities and greetings. "Where is she?"

"She?" Lory smiled.

"Mogami-san. Where is she??" he ground out.

"Ara… weren't you calling her Kyouko-chan earlier?"

Ren clenched his fists at his side. "I can't find her. She was supposed to be here at 8am but she's not here yet. I can't contact her on her cell phone and no one else has seen her."

Lory quirked an eyebrow at him. "Wasn't she with you last night?"

Ren sighed irritably. "Yes. I know you're aware of that so don't bother playing ignorant. Now, where is she??"

"I haven't seen her today," was Lory's calm reply.

Ren threw his hands up in disbelief.

"She might be at her home. I believe it's called Daruma-Ya."

Ren nodded, already rushing out to find her.

"By the way, Ren? Your face is slipping," Lory called out.

"I don't care!"

He paused long enough to grab his cap and sunglasses from his car. The drive to Daruma-Ya had only taken a few minutes but it had seemed like hours to him. Hunching a little, he took a few inches off his height to give the illusion that he was someone of inconsequence. He didn't want to have to play gentleman to anyone who recognized him now.

He knocked on the door, feeling absurdly like a teenager coming to meet his girlfriend at her house.

A woman answered, sliding the doors open a little. "I'm sorry. We're not open yet."

He straightened, removed his cap and sunglasses. "Okami-san, is Mogami-san in?"

Her eyes widened in recognition. "Ara… you just missed her."

'_Damn it!! But…she's okay. She's safe.' _

"Do you know what route she took?"

* * *

Kyouko pedaled for all she was worth, beads of sweat dripping down her brow. She was late! What if they fired her? She shook her head in dismay, still pedaling wildly. She had reached home late the night before and had much difficulty falling asleep after that. Somehow, she had dozed off in the middle of her contemplations and forgotten to switch on her alarm clock.

A hoot sounded from behind her, startling her. Her bike wobbled dangerously.

"Kyouko-chan!"

She braked sharply. _Oh no… _

"Get in," his voice brooked no argument.

She unhappily complied, stowing her bike into his spacious boot. She slid into the front seat and closed the door gently.

But in the next instant, she found herself enveloped in his arms.

He was…hugging her? Why?

"Thank God…thank God…" she heard him mutter. "You're okay. You're safe."

"Tsuruga-san?"

His arms were like bands around her, unrelenting and somehow strangely comforting.

"You left last night on your own…"

"Uh…yeah! I forgot that I needed some stuff from home," she replied, her excuse sounding lame to her own ears.

"I should have sent you home."

"You were sick and it was no trouble at all."

"No! It's dangerous for a young girl to walk outside on her own, especially at night!"

"I'm fine. Nothing happened."

"You had me worried sick…" he buried his face in her hair.

She stiffened. "Gomen…" she said in a low voice. "I'm a little late for work…"

He released her reluctantly. "Ah, yes. I'll send you there now."

The journey there was made in heavy silence. Ren glanced at her every now and again, but Kyouko had her gaze fixated on the outside of the car. They reached LME in no time at all and she practically jumped out of the car.

"Thank you for the ride," she called out, already running off. "I'm late!!"

Ren got out of the car and released the breath he didn't know he was holding. He watched her departing figure, mulling over the earlier silent atmosphere in the car. Something had changed. She seemed somewhat different…

Kyouko reached into her pocket, touching the little pouch that contained Corn. She had not lied to Tsuruga-san. She HAD needed to go home to get something. She had no choice. She needed Corn. But no matter how much she had tried to focus her emotions on the little blue stone, she still felt as confused as ever. For the first time, she had not felt that lightening of her burdens when she relied on Corn.

She swallowed that lump that had suddenly appeared in her throat. There was no time for such foolish feelings now, she reprimanded herself. She jogged forward briskly, trying her best not to break into a sprint. LME was very strict about not running through corridors, especially since she had collided with one too many VIPs. She was late. Moko was going to skin her alive. And possibly roast her on a spit. Slowly.

And Ren…she had troubled him again.

* * *

Ren replaced his cell phone in his pocket. That woman had been her usual insistent self. Emi Mitsuko, one of his oldest friends in the entertainment industry. One of the few of whom he was actually close to. He shook his head with wry amusement. As much as he respected her, there were just some things that couldn't be compromised. He frowned at the phone distastefully. He could foresee the amount of complications that would arise from THAT.

He sat down on his couch, considering this new problem. The press would have a field day should they find out this titillating piece of news. His fan base would quadruple overnight. And so would the number of stalkers, he thought dryly. This was bad publicity in his book and he did not like it in the least.

Rubbing his temples, he thought about how he had tried in vain to persuade her that he already had someone in mind. But no, she had been insistent.

"Ren-kun, you won't be tied down immediately to any of these young women. All you need to do is meet with them, talk to them and make friends with them. That's all!"

"Do you even understand what you're implying? I don't know any of these women and I really don't have any desire to get to know them either."

"Well! They're the daughters of my good friends and I have ensured that they are of good breeding and they seem quite nice. Plus, they all like you very much!"

_Good breeding? Like horses? Great. Just great. _

"I'm going to be extremely busy, with the new movie coming up and another drama which will be in production soon," he countered. There was no way he was getting roped into this travesty.

She gave a small chuckle. While she had been friends with Ren for so many years, he still hadn't changed all that much. "I know you'd prefer a ren'ai marriage as opposed to an omiai. But, think about it for a minute. The future is completely unpredictable. An omiai will be much more practical, wouldn't it!"

"No it wouldn't," he said, filled with exasperation. "I've lived my own life for this long and I'm certainly old enough to live without having anyone dictate to me how I should lead it. While I know you're doing this for my best interests, but I am just not interested in finding anyone else at this moment."

He wondered whether he should have explained in greater detail about Kyouko and what she meant to him. But in the end, he had decided against it. Knowing her, she would have set some ridiculous deadline for him to meet. While he wasn't completely adverse to the idea of settling down, he wanted it to be with someone special. He wanted it to be Kyouko. His heart clenched in his chest. "Hmm…." she murmured, not bothering to draw the argument out further. She allowed the silence to rule, heavy and definite.

Ren winced, remembering how she had always given him the silent treatment when she couldn't have her way. Grimacing at the memory, he could almost hear the sound of metal bars clanging shut, the walls closing in on him, the iron bars of his cage trapping him.

"Fine. I'll do it," he ground out through gritted teeth. The world wouldn't come to an end anytime soon as long as he could get that out of the way. "I'll check with my manager and see if I have any time in my schedule."

He needed time to woo Kyouko.

But if he failed, he wondered whether he would be able to handle that crushing disappointment that would forever haunt him.

He checked his watch. Fifteen minutes left of his break. Shrugging off the fact that he had missed lunch again, he wandered over to the set where _The Black Dragon_ was being filmed. He watched her act, enjoyed the mixture of emotions she expressed so effortlessly. She seemed to be getting better and better as time went by, he thought proudly.

Amidst all the rancor surrounding him, she seemed suspended in that moment of time, the only bright spot in his life in a world of black and white, her radiance surpassing all.

She saw him and stiffened visibly. Ren paused, slightly taken aback. She did not want to see him and that thought hurt deeply. Somehow, something between them had changed overnight. And all he knew was that he was losing her…

* * *

She rocked back and forth on her heels, mumbling to herself. She had come back to the beach again just to be alone. At the water's edge, terns were dipping their beaks into the choppy water in search of food, and sea gulls circled overhead as the waves rolled in. The indigo sky had grown darker and the clouds more ominous as she had sat there mulling over this new problem. Kyouko scooped up a handful of sand, letting it trail through her fingers. She had vowed never to let her heart race over anyone again, but… for this man…

She bit her lip, drawing blood. Too much was at stake. She would just have to avoid him somehow. Pressing Corn tightly between her hands, she willed it to relieve her of her burdens. She couldn't see him anymore. Another promise to herself broken. And she had broken her promise to him as well. She recalled his hurt expression, his eyes widening imperceptibly and her throat constricted painfully. His gaze had been penetrating, following her as she had rushed out of the set without a word.

She bent her head, her breath coming in shudders. She hadn't meant to hurt him. Tears rolled down her cheek unchecked.

* * *

**A Few Days Later**

* * *

"The past is no guide to the future. I can't afford to make any more mistakes when it comes to her," Ren thought, sitting down heavily on his couch, nursing a cup of brandy. The weather had cooled somewhat, with thick storm clouds forming overhead. Fate had somehow intervened and allowed him to meet her again after so many years, but he had to mess it up! He pressed the cool crystal glass to his forehead. All thoughts of his omiai had been placed at the back of the burner. He had to save their relationship somehow. Even if it meant starting from the drawing board all over again. If that was what it would take for her to consider him as her senpai, he would gladly do it.

But for the past few days, he had barely caught a glimpse of her, despite purposely spending more time at LME. Usually he would casually bump into her and she would greet him with that entrancing smile of hers. Deep inside, he suspected that she was actually making a conscious effort to avoid him. But such thoughts were painful, and to entertain such an idea could spell disaster for him should he sink into depression.

'_Perhaps this is just my stigma that wouldn't wear off. Didn't I consider myself completely unworthy of her? What changed that? When did she become so deeply entrenched in my soul?'_

As he leaned back, the steady drizzle began to intensify into a downpour, falling diagonally from the sky. Thunder exploded overhead, making his windowpanes rattle in their casings. Ren stared blindly out of his window, just content to watch the rain coming down in sheets and forming gleaming puddles everywhere.

* * *

Kijima Hidehito leaned back in his easy chair. The new movie had just about wiped out all his energy. "Damn, guess I'm not so young anymore, huh." When he had first gotten the script, he had been slightly apprehensive. Such storylines were not that popular with the younger generation and he wanted to present a greater impact towards their target audience. But, the thing that clinched the whole deal was the opportunity to act alongside Tsuruga Ren again. Now THAT was a crowd-puller. He had been trying to emulate that man forever; his suave gentlemanly demeanor, his gentle smile. "Aww, man! If only I had those legs! The women will be falling over me!"

He sat up thoughtfully. The movie did have its benefits though. He got to act alongside Mogami Kyouko. While he had originally thought she paled in comparison to a great number of other actresses he had acted with, she seemed to have a charm of her own. With a little time and experience, he could foresee that she would be a great actress one day. During the filming of Dark Moon, she hadn't made his 'girls to hit on' list. Perhaps he had been influenced by her role as Mio who was just too dark and scary to be liked! But now, she's actually pretty cute, he thought.

She was definitely worth pursuing. He drummed his fingers on the side of his face, mulling over this new possibility. But how should he go about it? He flipped through his copy of the script. There! He gave a little smirk. Now all he needed was her phone number. Perhaps Ren had her number…

* * *

_**Blacktohru:**__ Please review and let me know what you think. It's a longer chapter than normal, so I hope that satisfied everyone for the time being! _

_**Next up: **__I may finish up another movie chapter or continue on with Chapter 6. I haven't quite decided yet. Emi Mitsuko is a fictitious name I created for that famous actress whose 40__th__ anniversary Ren attended in Act 16. _

**A list of translated Japanese phrases:**

Okayu – Porridge

Omiai – Arranged marriage

Ren'ai – Matches based on romantic love

aa – "yeah"

ara – "oh my"

gomen/gomenasai – "sorry"

maa, maa - "easy now," "there there,"

un - "yeah" or "uh-huh"

sou da na - "I guess so / isn't it so?"

sou ka - "is that so?"

sou desu - "indeed"

ano - "say..." "well..." "err..."

nan da yo - gruff "whaddya want?" or "what the hell?"


	7. Chapter 6: Not For The Faint of Heart

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru:**__ I'm so sorry for the delay in this update! I just got my internet working (finally!) Is anyone still following this story? I hope this chapter will satisfy everyone (at least for the time being!) _

_(Edit: Changes made on __7 September 2008)_

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Not For The Faint of Heart**

_Kyouko-chan was definitely worth pursuing. Kijima drummed his fingers on the side of his face, mulling over this new possibility. But how should he go about it? He flipped through his copy of the script. There! He gave a little smirk. Now all he needed was her phone number. Perhaps Ren had her number…_

There was no time like the present, Kijima concluded gleefully. Sliding his handphone out of his pocket, he pressed the correct buttons to dial Tsuruga Ren's number.

Twenty miles away, Ren's phone rang. "Hello?"

"Tsuruga-kun! Kijima here. I was just wondering whether you happen to have this chick's number. I know you usually don't take down their numbers, whether they're hot or not, but I wanted to cover all my bases."

"Good evening, Kijima-san." Ren shook his head in exasperation. Silently he added, 'While I can't say it's a pleasure to hear from you at such a late hour, since you've already called, I'll see what I can do to help.' "Whose number do you need?"

"Mogami Kyouko's."

Ren paused. This couldn't be happening…

"Hello? Tsuruga-kun? Are you there? I asked whether you have Kyouko-chan's number."

"What do you need her number for?" Ren asked, trying his best to keep that demanding tone out of his voice.

Kijima shrugged, "She's one of our colleagues. A fellow actress. And a very good one at that. I'm quite interested to see how she would grow and how her sparkle would captivate the audience. She wasn't much to look at when she was playing Mio in Dark Moon. Mio was too dark to be likable anyway. But now, looking at her closely, she's actually a pretty little thing…" Kijima said thoughtfully. "With the right polish, some sexy clothes, I'm sure she'll be the hottest thing to hit Japan! So, do you have her number?"

"No." Ren pressed the little red button, disconnecting their call effectively.

* * *

**At The Set – The Following Day**

* * *

From the corner of his eye, Ren carefully noted the warmth of Kijima Hidehito's smile, the absorbed way he watched her as she answered his question cheerily, and the fact that he was standing far closer to her than was necessary or even seemly. If he was merely acting a part, then he was certainly enjoying it. And if he wasn't merely acting…

Ren clenched his fists. This was not the time or the place to lose his cool. He would address the matter in a fittingly adult manner and… damn it all!

"Ah! Hi Tsuruga-kun!" Kijima Hidehito called out brightly when he noticed a tall and familiar silhouette, his arms still around Kyouko.

"Good morning," he replied in a low voice. His eyes sought out Kyouko, but she had turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. His heart sank. The situation was worse than he thought. He had to find a way to talk to her. Without that bastard around, that is.

'_Would you get your filthy hands off her? __Do you want me to kill you and drown you in Tokyo Bay?' _he thought furiously.He envisioned a lifetime of saving her from stalkers and people who had enough sense to see her charm. First it was Sho Fuwa, and then that creepy stalker Kyouko had called Beagle.

Kijima stared at Ren suspiciously. In the past, Ren had been unfailingly polite to him, to the point where he had even considered it to be part of an act. Ren was, after all, the top male actor in Japan at that moment. He shook his head. But to act out an entirely different personality even when there was no script involved? If that guy was mixing up reel life with reality, then he had some serious issues.

But putting all those aside, for a moment, he had caught sight of Ren narrowing his eyes momentarily. And then, he had looked at Kyouko-chan as if expecting her to say something to him. But she had completely ignored him. Now, _that_ was really out of the norm. The Kyouko-chan he knew would always jump to her feet and greet her senpais cheerily and respectfully.

The first thought that occurred to him was, "Wow… finally a girl who can resist Tsuruga Ren's charm."

* * *

"MOKO!!" Kyouko wailed. "I need your help!!" she dragged her over to the Love-Me office in desperation, completely deaf to the yells and death threats of her best friend.

Slamming the door shut behind her, she pushed Moko into the nearest chair and sank into the opposite chair. "It's a disaster! Everything….EVERYTHING! It's all gone wrong!" she began sobbing in earnest.

Moko sighed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "What did you do now?" she asked in exasperation. "Having problems with your role again? You never learn, do you?"

Kyouko hung her head and replied morosely, "It's not the script. It would have been so much easier to solve if my problems were that simple!"

"Okay, okay. If that's not the problem, then what is?"

She took a deep breath and began to explain everything, from how Yashiro had sought her help in teaching Ren how to cook, up till the night before.

Moko just stared at her wide eyed. "So you've been teaching Tsuruga Ren how to cook because he's a total wimp in the kitchen and somehow you both became good friends and last night, you stayed back to take care of him because he fell sick again and now you can't even look at him in the eye?" She shook her head. "That doesn't quite add up."

"You don't get it! He was like…" her voice dropped to a whisper, "Just like the Prince of Darkness. One look from the Dark Lord and you turn to stone…" she finished melodramatically.

Moko smacked her on top of her head. "He's not Medusa for goodness' sake! Don't be ridiculous! What exactly happened?"

Kyouko rubbed the sore spot on her head. "He was supposed to be sick and somehow when I went to check on him and give him that bowl of okayu…" she hesitated. Kami-sama, this was so embarrassing.

"Look, do you want me to help you or not?" Moko asked impatiently.

Moko was right, Kyouko thought soberly. What were best friends for?

"He caught my hand and pulled me into the bed with him and after that he wouldn't let go. I think he was feverish and he wouldn't stop muttering all sorts of incoherent things," she finished in a rush and lowered her head to hide the red heat creeping up her cheeks.

This was really the last thing she needed. To have her whole world as she knew it come crumbling apart with just those words. She closed her eyes, remembering it all…

* * *

**Flashback**

* * *

"_It was all those years ago…"_

_She reached out, checking his forehead for any signs of fever. A difficult feat considering the fact that she was tightly imprisoned in his arms on the bed. He was slightly warm to the touch, she thought worriedly. _

"_I never imagined that you would be the very same person."_

_What was he talking about? She could barely catch what he was mumbling. Squirming and pushing away his restricting arm to no avail, she leaned back with a huff. How was she going to get out of this mess? _

"_Kyouko…"_

_Her ears perked up. _

"_I…Corn…" he groaned. "Kyouko… I… I've always…"_

_Corn?? Did he say 'Corn'? She frowned. She must be hearing things. First, thinking Kuu said Corn when he meant 'Kuon'. And now hearing Ren say Corn again. She must be more exhausted than she had originally thought. Now that she thought about it, it had been a really long day for her. What time was it? She had absolutely no idea. But whatever it was, she had to somehow get out of his embrace. She gave another squirm, fighting the urge to just lean back and lose herself in his warmth. What was it with this man and that dratted 'trust-me-depend-on-me' fragrance that made her want to….she frowned. Made her want to…? _

_Pursing her lips thoughtfully, she considered all she knew about Tsuruga Ren. In the past, she had given in to his warm embrace and relieved her burdens. And she had felt immensely secure. Safe, warm, loved. Feelings that she hadn't felt in a very long time. LME was indeed a wonderful work place, she thought. She was lucky. Having senpais such as Tsuruga Ren around, she could push herself harder and at the same time, depend on him for any advice. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. Considering all that she had been through, he had been wonderfully supportive of her and they had somehow become good friends outside of work. Smiling softly to herself, she inadvertently dozed off in the middle of her musings. _

* * *

**End Flashback**

* * *

"I tried using Corn! My Voodoo dolls didn't work! Nothing worked!" she rested her head on the table in resignation.

"Well, at least we can confirm that Tsuruga Ren is pretty comfortable with you," declared Moko. _'Comfortable is just about the only word that she can accept at the moment. But I'm willing to bet next month's salary that he's got more than a crush on her.'_

Kyouko muttered something incoherent under her breath.

"You were tired! So you slept. It's your body's natural response to fatigue."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Kyouko raised her head to eye Moko who stared right back at her.

"Well, he wasn't angry about that was he?" Moko prodded.

"No….in fact, he was more upset about the fact that he didn't send me home that night."

'_A gentleman to the bone or a hopelessly in love Tsuruga Ren?' _Moko wisely kept that thought to herself.

"Look, at least he's far, far better than that sorry excuse of a man who's playing opposite you in that movie," Moko replied.

"Huh? Kijima-san?"

Moko nodded seriously. "Kijima Hidehito. He's the living example of a playboy with two girls dangling off each arm. Long hair, long legs, zero IQ. Beautiful and dumb, that's all he wants." She smiled maliciously. "You should watch out for him. He's like a reverse prince. Once you kiss him, he turns into a frog."

* * *

**Takarada Lory's Office at LME**

* * *

"I'd like to think that I'd fall to my knees and declare my undying love for her, but I just can't imagine myself doing that," Ren grimaced.

"Well, why don't you do that!" Yashiro exclaimed, unable to hold his tongue any longer. "You've nothing to lose since she hates you anyway."

"Now, now," Lory placed an arm on Yashiro to stop his outburst. "I know that you want what's best for both of them and Ren has certainly bungled up this matter more than I thought he would."

"What?" Ren stared at both of them, beyond exasperated. "You expected me to ruin all that I had with her?" He leaned back dejectedly. "You guys are no help."

"No need to get so touchy. You had no one else to turn to so you came to us," Lory replied calmly. "In fact, maybe you could try getting one of those 'Dating For Dummies' books that are so popular nowadays. I heard they're really useful!"

Ren resisted the urge to slap his forehead in derision. "Look, if you thought it would help, I'll read it. Okay?"

"Ren," Lory hesitated, dropping all pretenses at teasing him. "I just didn't want you to lose sight of who you are, after donning that mask for so long. I believe that your role in this new movie will be important for you, not only professionally but emotionally as well." He looked imploringly at his protégé, hoping against all hope that all was not lost, and finally breaking into a small grin when Ren nodded in agreement.

"Conceal me what I am and be my aid for such disguise, this happily shall become the form of my intent."

"Twelfth Night," the President smiled. "I'll see what I can do to help. Perhaps I'll have a chat with her."

"Thank you," Ren bowed. "I have a photo shoot scheduled in the next hour and I need to get going now," he nodded meaningfully at Yashiro.

"Ah!" Yashiro clapped a hand to his forehead. He had forgotten about that last minute arrangement! In front of the President of LME to boot! He scrunched up his face unhappily. And why was the President satisfied with that quote from Twelfth Night? He hadn't even realized that Ren knew Shakespearean plays.

Ren headed for the door, already lost in his own thoughts and completely oblivious to Yashiro's misery. With luck, Kyouko would explain everything to the President and he would be able to talk to her properly again. He slid a hand through his hair, ruffling it in frustration. _Talk to him? _She wouldn't even _look_ at him.

* * *

The President leaned back in his chair contemplating this new development. Ren coming to him for help? Now _that_ was a first. Even in the past, no matter how dire the circumstances, Ren had absolutely refused to ask anyone for help. He had initially thought that as a boy, Ren's pride had been far too great for his skinny body then. But over time, he had noticed many things about Ren. He had this tendency to keep everyone at arms length. Flashing them that smile of his was sufficient to open many doors for him. And in the end, no one ever learnt of his true self.

Lory shook his head. While it was important to maintain his image as Tsuruga Ren, he was worried about him as a person. It just wasn't healthy to keep everything to oneself. No matter how independent Ren was, there was a limit to everything.

At least now, Ren was beginning to forgive himself, he thought with satisfaction. He seemed to want to depend on him and Yashiro. And Kyouko-chan. He smiled at the thought. Kyouko would definitely be good for Ren. And he in return would do her a world of good. Perhaps he would teach her how to love again. Lory steepled his fingers thoughtfully.

* * *

She was always fair to everyone, Ren thought absentmindedly. Despite his musings, he automatically obeyed the photographer's instructions, striking poses effortlessly. Treating everyone with the same kindness. And that extraordinary strong will of hers. The thing he admired most in her was the fact that she did everything with such great zeal to achieve perfection. And she hadn't changed. Still the same girl that he had met all those years ago. Well, she hadn't changed as much as he had.

"Tsuruga-san, tilt your head back a little….yes…hold that angle…"

_Snap snap_

"Good, now close your eyes…"

_Snap snap snap_

"Excellent!"

It was downright annoying. To be considered the same as everyone else. Not just annoying. It was demeaning. Kijima seemed to be her latest substitute for him. She no longer looked to him for advice or solace. It was all about Kijima Hidehito. It was eating him inside out. At times like these, he almost hated her sense of fairness.

Kijima Hidehito was going to be trouble, he frowned. He had always known about that aggravating playboy habit of his but to have it directed at Kyouko? He gritted his teeth.

"Tsuruga-san?"

There was absolutely no way he would approve of Kijima Hidehito. He lifted narrowed eyes to the camera, staring blindly.

"Tsuruga-san?" the photographer called out. "Tsuruga-san?!"

Yashiro rushed onto the set. "We'll take a ten-minute break now!" He immediately dragged Ren off amidst the shocked stares from crew members.

Snapping the door shut with a loud click, he spun around to face Ren. "What was _that_ all about?"

Blinking a little, Ren stared at his fair haired manager. "What?"

"Even if you're upset about Kyouko-chan," Yashiro struggled to control his exasperation. "It is completely unprofessional of you!"

Ren's head snapped up, suddenly alert. _Crap. _Had his face revealed his inner turmoil? From the frown on Yashiro's normally unperturbed face, it was quite a high possibility.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "I'll be fine. Let's go back to the set."

He could deal with anything fate threw at him on a whim. Leaving his family to stay in an unfamiliar place. Becoming a completely different person. But when it came to Kyouko, nothing ever seemed to go right. Only she could turn his world completely upside down. Only she could move his heart. So, if it's her, if it's for her, he would be willing to do just about anything just to keep her at his side.

* * *

Kyouko suddenly emitted a small squeak and scuttled off around the corner, disappearing before Moko had a chance to open her mouth.

"Ano….Moko-san?" a deep voice interrupted her.

She turned, facing the owner of that voice. 'Tsuruga Ren,' she thought with exasperation. 'No wonder Kyouko had run off as if a pack of hounds were after her.'

"That's Kotonami-san to you," she replied brusquely.

"Ah, my apologies. It's just that I've gotten so used to hearing her refer to you as Moko-san when she…" he trailed off.

'When she was still friends with you,' Moko completed his sentence mentally.

"Do you know where she is?"

Moko crossed her arms and glared at him. "Why?"

"I need to speak with her."

"She doesn't want to see you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have to hunt for her this way," she replied acerbically, watching his face for any indication, any sign that he cared.

_There! Although it was only for a brief moment, there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes, and was that longing she was seeing? _

She struggled for a moment to retain her composure.

_A love sick Tsuruga Ren? In love with her best friend…?! _

He bowed his head, allowing his fringe to hide his eyes. "Please, I need to see her, to apologize."

Moko hesitated, torn between loyalty towards her best friend and the earnest plea she could see in the tall man's posture. If she allowed him to go to Kyouko, she could risk losing her best friend. But on the contrary, this man could possibly bring Kyouko happiness beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Perhaps then, she would be able to allow herself to heal from those old wounds that had never been cauterized.

"You're in love with her."

Ren looked up, startled. Was he really an open book? After all those years as an accomplished actor… he shook his head in resignation.

"You don't…love her?" Moko stared at him, her eyes narrowing in anger. _She hadn't read him wrongly. Was he taking her for a fool? Was he trying to play games with her and crush Kyouko's already tender heart? _

"No! No… I mean…I do! But…"

_Ah, crap. I just announced it to the world. _Ren shook his head again in amazement. Whenever it came to Kyouko, the connection between his brain and his mouth always seemed to short-circuit.

"So which one is it? Make up your mind!" Moko demanded, her voice straining in an effort to contain her animosity.

Ren met her gaze levelly. "I do, I do love her," he admitted.

"Good. Guessed as much. If you break her heart, I will personally break every single bone in your body, whether or not you're the famous Tsuruga Ren. Do you understand?"

He gave her a genuine smile. "You're a good friend to her. And you don't have to worry. I'll look after her."

She nodded. "Go talk things out with her. She should be sitting at the staircase behind the Love-Me office.

Ren breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"Just…" Moko looked away. "Just take care of her, okay?"

"I will." _Till the day that I die, _he added to himself, smiling a little at how antiquated and clichéd it sounded. But, age old romances were still romance. Literary or not. Besides, Kyouko was definitely the type to believe in happily-ever-afters.

* * *

"There you are," Ren breathed.

Kyouko jumped up, startled. "Wh…What are you doing here?" she sputtered. He wasn't supposed to know about her secret spot! As a glamorous actor, he wasn't supposed to take staircases and walk around deserted corridors!

He reached down and touched her forehead. "Good. I'm glad you're not ill."

Her eyes widened in surprise at his touch and at his words. Then she turned away, trying to escape his touch. 'This is getting weird!' she thought frantically. 'Why did he go out of his way to look for me?' She refused to meet his eyes.

Ren felt her withdraw from his touch. "Why won't you even look me in the eye? What happened? Why are you running away from me?" He gently placed both hands on her face.

She froze at the rush of heat his hands ignited.

"LET GO!" she suddenly yelled and dashed off without looking back, leaving behind a thoroughly bewildered Tsuruga Ren.

One minute and five floors later, Kyouko leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor helplessly. She was being too strange! When had this man's touch begun to make her react this way? Her pulse was still fluttering madly and her breath came in short pants. What was wrong with her? She buried her face in her hands, unable to control the tears which had welled up in her eyes.

Wait… the symptoms. She mentally ticked them off: increased heart beat rate, shortness of breath, being nervous around him, unable to meet his eyes and that intense desire to see him smile. She groaned. "Kami-sama, please tell me it isn't true." Could she possibly…. NO! There was absolutely no way! She had strengthened the shield around her heart everyday! She closed her eyes and immediately an image of him appeared in her mind. Her heart constricted.

She did like him very much. But, in _that_ way? All the arrows seemed to be pointing in that direction. 'This can't be happening,' she thought morosely.

* * *

_**Blacktohru**__: Well? What do you think? Let me know! _

_Here's a poll! Results will be posted (and used) in the final chapter!_

_**What does Tsuruga Ren taste like?**_

_A. Dark chocolate. Smooth, rich, intoxicating…_

_B. Sugar, spice and all things nice_

_C. Dark swirls of rich amber honey_

_D. Mint - tangy and refreshing_

_**Next up: **__**Chapter 6a – Not For the Faint of Heart (The Movie)**_


	8. Chapter 6a: Not For The Faint of Heart

**Skip Beat - ****The Yashiro Conspiracy – The Movie**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh. But all the original characters are mine! MINE!

_**Blacktohru:**__ Hi everyone! Is everyone loving this story so far? I've created another poll! Just visit my profile page at: __http: / www. fanfiction. net /blacktohru#__ and click on __Vote Now!__ Choose your __**two**__ favourite male characters in Skip Beat. While making this poll, I realized there are actually quite a number of characters in Skip Beat! I hope everyone recognizes all the names listed there._

* * *

**Chapter 4a – The Beginning of Every End – The Movie**

_She was screaming. Sweat dotted her brow, her fingers frozen, her face deathly pale. That dream again! It played out in the exact same manner it had for the past ten years. The face of a son she didn't have, kidnappers she had never met and the resulting trauma from just experiencing it over and over again. She rubbed a weary hand over her face, still imagining glass shards embedded into her skin. The way the blood had flowed down her face seemed far too real for a dream. The hair at the back of her neck prickled suddenly. She swiftly turned, her hands closing into defensive fists, ready to attack at a moment's notice._

"_Miyu-san! Hey…it's okay…it's okay… I've got you…" he enclosed her in his arms in a bear hug. _

"_Damnit, Keiji-san! I almost took you out! Can't you warn me before you do that!? Do you want a broken nose?"_

"_Well, if it makes you feel any better…"_

"_Damn masochist…"_

"_Yep. And proud of it!"_

_Despite herself, she chuckled, albeit slightly weakly. _

"_That dream again?" he sobered. _

"_Yeah. They've been recurring with alarming frequency these past few days. I haven't been able to get a decent night's sleep."_

"_Here," he patted the spot next to him. "I'll be right next to you, so you can sleep easy, ne?" _

"_Un…" she mumbled, curling up next to him. "Thanks, partner."_

"_No probs, kiddo," he patted her head gently._

* * *

**Chapter 6a – Not For The Faint of Heat (The Movie)**

"_Hayo-shinee!" _

"_No! It's 'hayaku shinasai'! In Tokyo, people would assume you're asking them to hurry up and die! You really need to do something about your accent."_

"_Why should I? You understood me just fine. I said hurry up!"_

"_Well, that's because I've been your partner for the past few years! If I didn't pick up on it myself, I would have whacked you for every time you used that phrase."_

"_Just hurry up, will you! Man! You're such a nag!"_

"_So what if I am? Is that your equivalent of 'break a leg'?"_

_They'd been in that store room for a little longer than he would have liked. The crates had seemed ordinary, save for the fact that the rooms had three armed guards patrolling outside and a high-tech digital lock for the door. Hacking it had been easy. _

_He jammed his pen knife through a crack in a crate. Twisting it sharply, he managed to get enough leverage to pull out one fat packet. _

"_Drugs?" she whispered, holding up a tiny pen light for him. _

"_Un. Looks like it. Let me check," he cut a small hole, allowing some white dust to dribble out onto his palm. He tasted it. "Heroin. The good stuff. High quality stuff like this could easily fetch several million per crate."_

"_Damn. Think these are all the same stuff?" she gestured at the rest of the crates. _

"_Maybe. I'll need to check them though, to be sure," he replied. _

"_Go ahead. I'll watch the door."_

_No sooner had the words left her mouth, they heard a loud exclamation from a guard outside, followed by the sound of something hard hitting the door. _

"_K'so! Just a bit more..." _

"_No time! Hide!" she dragged him behind a crate._

"_I need to check this out! If all these are heroin, then we can settle this operation now!"_

"_We can't risk it. If they find us, we'll be killed for sure!"_

"_There won't be another chance like this again! I'll check the crates, you handle anyone who comes in."_

"_Damn you! I'll get you back for this later," she whispered angrily, but obeying his orders to the letter. She crept out of their hiding place stealthily. Strange. There was no one in the room save them. From a distance, she could hear echoes of running feet and some muffled yells, but not the mass panic she was expecting. _

_She sniffed the air delicately. Something was burning. Cigarette smoke? No. It smelt thicker, heavier. She drew in another breath. It had a sickly sweet kind of aroma to it, she thought, wrinkling her nose in distaste. It wasn't any type of gas she recognized. She paused, hearing a strange scuffling sound. Was there someone there? She pulled out her combat knife. A gun would draw even more attention. No sense in alerting everyone else if they haven't noticed. _

_She crept towards the source of the sound. There! Behind those crates! She carefully planned her next move. Surprise would be her best way of silencing whoever was hiding there. Her sleeve brushed a crate. It felt searing hot! It was on fire! _

_A young man with blonde hair came running in suddenly, surprising her. Quickly slipping behind a crate, she managed to ambush him and knock him out silently with the back of her hand. He slid to the ground, not knowing what had hit him. _

"_One down," she thought. Now where was that burning crate again? She placed her hand on several crates, testing the temperatures of each one. There! She quickly withdrew her hand from the scorching heat of the crate. _

_A man was hiding behind the burning crate, mumbling something to himself and rubbing his hands gleefully. She eyed him cautiously. He did not appear to be carrying any weapons but she couldn't be a hundred percent certain. A single blow to behind the neck would be her best bet. Just knock him out first, she decided. They could take care of him later. _

_The man suddenly turned and spotted her. With a bellow of rage, he made a swipe for the gun she carried at her side, knocking her sideways. He was surprisingly agile for his size and age, being two heads shorter than she was and probably thrice as old. He aimed for her weak spots – her stomach, her solar plexus, her throat. This man was no ordinary coolie! He definitely had some training, she thought frantically dodging his blows. _

_She watched in disbelief as his face contorted into hatred so deep that all the muscles in his face tightened into a mask of rage. She swallowed nervously. While he was in that haze of anger, she would have the upper hand. Especially since he didn't know that she was still holding her knife. She took careful aim. There was only one chance to get this right. _

_She slammed the butt of her knife into the back of his head, lowered her centre of gravity immediately and swivelled around, slicing at his ankles with her knife and tripping him. He should either pass out from the hard knock to his head or fall heavily to the floor, disoriented, she calculated. _

"_No!" her eyes wide with incredulity and horror. She had tripped him up! But he had caught himself, flipped and landed quite gracefully on his two feet. Even that hard knock to his skull didn't seem to present any damage. _

_He gave her a malicious grin and in a burst of fury, lunged towards her and caught her in the stomach, knocking all the breath out of her. She gasped. Reacting instinctively, she twisted her body, hoping to grapple the smaller man down to the floor and cuff him. But he was like an eel, slippery and deadly. And much faster than she was. His punches hit their mark, clipping her cheek and then full on to her chin. Her neck snapped backwards and she cried out at the searing pain. _

_Grasping her by her hair, he reached out and grabbed her knife, licking the edges free of his own blood. With a few lengths of rope, he had her securely bound. She pulled on the knots frenetically. Trailing the blade down her face, he giggled as he began to make shallow cuts along her cheek. When he dragged the tip over her eyelids, she bit back a whimper. There was no way she was going to show any signs of weakness!_

_He frowned. This was unexpected. He enjoyed watching his victims plead and beg for mercy. But this girl had met his gaze steadfastly with defiance. He would cut off that self-confidence. He stabbed the knife into her arm, piercing tender flesh and sinew. His eyes glazed over at the sound of her scream of pain. Yes! Perfect! He viciously stabbed her legs as well, crowing with delight as he watched her life blood seep out of her. _

_Pushing her and propping her against the wall, he pulled out several more blades from his tunic. Target practice! She winced as a small blade whined past her ear and embedded itself into the wall. A couple more hit her shoulders, nicking her a little. _

_The madman was dissatisfied. His aim was true as always, but it was no fun unless you 'accidentally' hit your target. _

_The last thing she saw was his toothless smile, staring down at her with malevolent glee before she felt a crushing blow to her head and her world spun and faded to black._

* * *

_She must have died and did some very wrong things in this lifetime to deserve this, she mused, studying the leaping red tongues surrounding her. _

_But the pain in her cheek and the tenderness of her jaw felt far too real to be a figment of her imagination. Her arms and legs seemed to be wet and sticky with some kind of strange gooey substance. She closed her eyes, willing the image to disappear and dissipate into smoke like how dreams are wont to do. Her eyes slid open. No such luck. The only thing that seemed to be working was the smoke effects. _

"_Miyu? Miyu? Are you okay?" her partner slapped her cheek gently. _

_She stared at him in shock, her brain finally functioning. The fire! __"There's no way out!" she gasped. _

"_KEIJI!! Get her out of here!" Koujirou yelled. Grabbing anything he could reach to stop the blaze from spreading further was slowly becoming a futile task as the flames licked and crept nearer. _

"_KEIJI__!!" she screamed._

_Blood seeped through her clothes,__ dripping down her legs, staining the wooden floor. The adrenalin boost she had gotten earlier was beginning to taper out. Losing so much blood was beginning to take its toll. She looked up, her eyes wide, then rolling backwards as she fell to the floor in a dead faint. _

_Keiji__ lifted her up carefully, carrying her out of the room. _

"_Burn! Yes, burn it all!" the madman screamed. "I have finally gotten my revenge! ME! Millions going up in smoke! You're all cursed! CURSED!"_

* * *

_Ryusei__ heard the faint sounds of running feet outside his door, his men speaking in hushed whispers. He detected an underlying note of panic in their voices. His brows furrowed in impatience. Were his men so incompetent that they couldn't handle one tiny problem? He reached into his drawer, removing his trusty Glock. He snapped open the barrel, taking a moment to check for ammunition. He probably wouldn't need it, but you never knew. _

_He opened his office door to the sound of blaring smoke alarms and his men scurried away from the dark look on his face. No one was willing to face him when they saw THAT look. The yells were drawi__ng near, he thought to himself, tucking his gun into his holster. He walked into the hazy room, noting the intensity of the flames, the faces of his men who were valiantly trying to put it out and the cries of the madman whose voice had become slightly hoarse after inhaling all that smoke. _

_Between one blink and the next, he had a grasp on the man's throat. Gripping it in a stranglehold, his eyes burned into the madman's. As his air supply was cut off, the cold fury receded into blank shock. _

_With a quick jerk of his hand, Ryusei snapped the madman's head back and crushed the tender bone and sinew there, ending the gagging coughs and hacks he was emitting. _

"_Clean up this mess," he ordered. Without another word, he stalked back to his office while his underlings gaped at him in stupefaction. _

_A more senior guard regained his senses. "You heard him! Get back to work!"_

* * *

_They had ha__d no choice. They hadn't had the permission to be in those rooms, naturally. Which really was a pity since they had just acquired the evidence necessary for the ultimate drug ring bust of the century. So considering all that had occurred and the possible ramifications of getting caught red handed, he had dragged her out onto the streets. Koujirou had somehow acquired a car and driven them to the nearest hospital. Keiji clasped his hands worriedly. It had been a split second decision to withdraw from their undercover mission. If they had indeed remained at the scene, they wouldn't be let off that easily. And to confess would mean death._

_He heaved a heavy sigh. He had never felt so terrified for another person's life after what had happened to his previous partner. But looking at her earlier, being abused and tortured by the madman, he had felt his heart constrict as one of the knives thrown haphazardly hit its mark. _

_There was so much blood everywhere. Staining her clothes, the floor, his face, he wondered whether he would ever be able to look at her without imagining her body drenched in it. Her face, pale and lifeless, her body, icy cold, marred his vengeance. _

_The worst was her eyes. He had seen the fear in them as her tormentor slid the knife across her cheek, grazing the soft flesh of her eyelid. She had refused to back down even then. If not for the madman's earlier move of setting everything alight, the damage would have been much, much worse. Keiji shuddered. Silently, he thanked the kami for sparing her life._

* * *

_She was in bed, covered in cool wraps of white cloth. Bandages, she thought, vaguely recognizing them. They were carefully bound around her head, arms and legs, all of which were bloody. Smiling grimly to herself, she realised that the pain felt too real for her to be dead. Which was a bad thing, considering the immobility of her arms and legs. There was a high possibility she had somehow gotten paralysed after those blows to her arms and legs. No, wait. She could wiggle her big toe. That was good. She cracked an eye open, wincing from the piercing light that entered her vision. Keiji was sitting next to the bed, his face pale and ghostly. Muttering in strings of broken sentences, he rocked back and forth, head in his palms, tears streaming down his face. _

"_What's the damage?" she managed to wheeze out. Talking was painful, but she had to know. _

_Keiji sprang to life in an instant. "You're up! Thank God! Thank God! Give me a minute. I'll go call the doctor here."_

"_No...tell me...how bad is it?"_

_He stopped, alarming her with his sudden serious look. "No broken bones. Just fractured your femur. You've got cuts and lacerations all over and a huge gash that required stitches."_

"_Do I need surgery?"_

"_No," he replied, admiring her tenacity. "I don't think so."_

_She leaned back with a grunt, satisfied._

* * *

Kyouko grimaced at the amount of stage blood they had practically drenched her in. Her limbs hurt after redoing that combat scene over and over again. But the final takes were perfect for sure, if she were to judge from that Cheshire cat's grin on the director's face.

The young actor who was playing the role of the madman ran over to her anxiously. "Are you okay, Kyouko-san?"

She nodded, smiling at him. "Just a little stiff at the moment."

"I understand. Make sure you do those exercises I showed you earlier. That way, you won't suffer from muscle aches so much. Plus, all that work out keeps you fit!" He winked at her, making her chuckle at how grossly inappropriate he looked, winking devilishly at her with all that make-up on.

Kyouko gave him a grin. "Arigatou, Taka-san."

"It's a pleasure. You've gotten really good with all those moves, you know! Did you take any martial arts class in the past by any chance?"

"Uhm…" she hesitated. "Actually, no. I just improvised some moves I saw on TV…"

He stared at her dumbfounded. "You recreated moves which you saw once on TV?" he shook his head in awe. "That is so _cool! _I wish I could do that too, but my brain is like a sieve with really big holes. Anything that doesn't have substance just falls through."

She gave him a faint smile. Little did he know she had watched and rewatched those tapes which she had acquired specially for this movie. Taking note of every single move and recreating them had been a long and painful process. She even had the bruises to prove it. But Moko-san had been adamant about her doing research prior to any filming.

"You must always be prepared!" Moko had lectured her sternly. "If you want to excel at acting, you must be willing to go to any lengths to succeed at your role! Like how you practised your Katsura technique in the past, you will work doubly hard for this!"

"Kyouko-san!" the director called out, interrupting her thoughts. "Could you come here for a moment?"

"Sure," she replied, giving Taka-san an apologetic look and walking over to the director.

"Good work, Kyouko-san! I saw some very nice moves and fancy foot-work going on there," he praised. "Don't forget now, we'll be doing Act 8 tomorrow, so make sure you're prepared."

A radiant smile bloomed across her face. Her hard work was definitely paying off! "Thank you, director!" she bowed. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow then."

Now all she had to do was head back to LME to finish up another Love-Me assignment. She turned around and headed for the exit, but stopped in her tracks at the sight of Kijima-san practically running full tilt in her direction.

"Kyouko-chan! Wait for me!" he yelled, seemingly deaf and blind towards all the crew members who hid sly grins behind their hands at his enthusiasm. "You're going back to LME, right?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Yes. There's another Love-Me assignment I need to complete."

"Great! I need to drop by LME myself to gather some documents. I'll get my driver to send us there."

"No! It's too extravagant. Anyway, I brought my bicycle since I was planning to cycle back to the office."

"Cycle? It's freezing out there! While it's barely autumn, the winds can get pretty cold and it's really not safe for a young girl to cycle alone in the dark," Kijima was adamant. "As your senpai, I cannot allow that!" He stared down at her, his two feet planted firmly in front of her, blocking her departure. Crossing his arms across his chest in a defiant pose, he continued, "The Love-Me section does teach its trainees to respect their senpais, right?"

Kyouko nodded warily.

Kijima gripped her hands enthusiastically in his large ones. "Excellent! Though you really need to cure that habit of yours of shying away from me. We're partners aren't we, Miyu-san?" he twined his fingers with hers.

* * *

**Back at LME**

* * *

Yashiro trotted alongside Ren, listing out in order the appointments he had the following day. But Ren was only half paying attention to him, his thoughts wandering to a certain auburn haired girl.

She was definitely acting strangely. Did it have anything to do with their dinner that night? Perhaps she was upset because he had fallen asleep halfway. He frowned. That didn't quite fit with the image he had of her. She wasn't the type who would be mad at someone who was ill. Quite the contrary. She would have gone out of her way to take care of him, no matter what.

His musings were suddenly interrupted by a figure suddenly barrelling into him as he turned a corner. He reached out to steady the person who was tottering dangerously in front of him. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going…" he began.

"Sorry…" she looked up at him.

_Kyouko? _He smiled in greeting. And then froze as she ducked her head, avoiding his eyes.

"Sorry," she repeated in a low voice. "I'm a little busy right now." She darted up the staircase in a flash.

Yashiro glowered at Ren. "What did you do now?"

Shrugging, Ren replied, "I have no idea…" He stared after her disappearing figure, his heart leaden in his chest.

* * *

From his office, Lory could watch over all that happened in his beloved company. And on a day as such, hassled workers and harried staff kept up that frenetic pace that he enjoyed so much. All was peaceful in the world of LME, he thought with satisfaction. All except for one little problem. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his antique baroque desk which he had imported from France. It was his latest theme after all. He made a mental note to request for some light French crepes with strawberries and cream for dessert.

Tapping his Mont Blanc pen against two files, he perused its contents for what must have been the hundredth time. His two protégés, too alike in many ways and entirely too stubborn-headed for his plans. His instincts had never failed him so far and this was definitely a gamble that he MUST pull off. Even Kuu had mentioned that a role like 'Kuon' is something that Kyouko-chan loves. Lory smirked. Kuu had no idea how apt his words had been at that time.

Belatedly recalling what Kuu had mentioned the last time they had communicated with each other, Lory breathed an exasperated sigh. While he could very well understand Julie's feelings regarding Kuon's future – or to be more specific, Kuon's future wife – this was really playing havoc on his plans. He considered letting Kuu in on his plans. Kuu would be able to advice Julie and hopefully put that omiai on hold. But what if Julie insisted on meeting Kyouko-chan in advance? While most of her potential candidates desired to hold the very prestigious position as Kuon's wife, he doubted Kyouko-chan would view it in a similar manner. Better to allow Ren to smooth things over first.

Kuu would definitely be overjoyed to have such a daughter-in-law. Kyouko-chan was after all, his raw diamond and his surrogate son/daughter. Kuu, that oya-baka that he was, had detailed all that Kyouko-chan had said and done during his brief visit to Japan. But most of all, he had been ecstatic when he found out that Ren had told her that she had really captured Kuon's feelings. Lory gave a whimsical smile. Even from what Kyouko-chan had NOT told him, he had been able to grasp the kind of life she had led thus far. So Kuu's heretofore unplanned, but absolutely brilliant tactical move in 'adopting' Kyouko-chan would hopefully teach her what family love is all about. Perhaps then she would be more receptive to Ren's advances.

Yes, all the stars were in place and the stage will be set.

* * *

_**Blacktohru: **__Phew! Another chapter done! I know my updates are rather sporadic, but I hope that everyone will still continue reading this. And don't forget to vote! _

_**Next up: **__**Chapter 7 **_

**  
****List of Characters**

Tsuruga Ren – Ryusei: Leader of The Black Dragons

Mogami Kyouko – Miyu Takahashi: Undercover agent for NPSC

Kijima Hidehito – Keiji Takeda: Miyu's partner

Minami Yuuki – Reiko Otohime: Ren's co-star

Tetsuo Katsukara – Keiji Takeda's superior in the NPSC (modeled after Tetsuo Kutsukake)

Hideki Touyama – Ex-Leader of the Black Dragons (modeled after Mitsuru Toyama)

Koujirou Kazuomi – Keiji Takeda & Miyu's "cousin"

**A list of translated Japanese phrases:**

aa – "yeah"

ara – "oh my"

arigatou – "thank you"

maa, maa - "easy now," "there there,"

un - "yeah" or "uh-huh"

kakkowarui – "uncool"

k'so – "damn"

Katsura technique – To peel/slice a radish or a carrot in a continuous thin layer


	9. Chapter 7: Red Light

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru:**__ Chapter 7 is up! Hope I didn't keep all of you waiting too long for this one. I've been busy, as usual. And I will be out of town for awhile. So, please be patient. I'll try my best to update as soon as I can. Life is hectic now, but I've never been one for being idle. insert evil laughter here _

_(edit: Changes made __7 September 2008)_

* * *

_**Chapter 6 – Not For The Faint of Heart**_

_Kyouko leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor helplessly. She was being too strange! When had this man's touch begun to make her react this way? Her pulse was still fluttering madly and her breath came in short pants. What was wrong with her? She buried her face in her hands, unable to control the tears which had welled up in her eyes. _

_Wait… the symptoms. She mentally ticked them off: increased heart beat rate, shortness of breath, being nervous around him, unable to meet his eyes and that intense desire to see him smile. She groaned. "Kami-sama, please tell me it isn't true." Could she possibly…. NO! There was absolutely no way! She had strengthened the shield around her heart everyday! She closed her eyes and immediately an image of him appeared in her mind. Her heart constricted. _

_She did like him very much. But, in that way? All the arrows seemed to be pointing in that direction. 'This can't be happening,' she thought morosely. _

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Red Light**

The threat of rain didn't deter her from her destination. Walking slowly along the beach, she raised her face to the evening sky, revelling in the cool ocean breeze that fanned her warm cheeks. She was behaving rather strangely, she thought to herself. Knowing full well that being by the beach brought no consolation to her, why did she find herself here again?

Bending down, she began picking up little shells and smooth round pebbles, a mundane and brainless task to keep her mind off other matters. Or rather, keep her mind off _HIM. _She wandered back toward the waves and with a flick of her wrist, she tried to make the pebble skip across the water. It should have, but instead, it hit the water and sank. A somewhat fitting response to the day she had.

She sighed with resignation, finally giving up and sitting on the sandy shore. Watching the clouds roll in and obliterate the setting sun, she finally allowed her thoughts to turn to him. Tsuruga Ren. The worst possible person to be involved with, even if she had the capacity to love.

A little demon whispered to her bleakly, foretelling a miserable future she would face if she even entertained the thought of being together with him. "_You know what would happen, right Kyouko-chan? You've loved and lost and let everyone down. And now you're even contemplating loving someone again? You have no more room in your heart for such an emotion."_

Kyouko reached up, brushing strands of her fringe of her forehead. That was the truth, wasn't it? She couldn't afford such emotions, especially in this industry. She was an actress wasn't she? She should be able to face such things gracefully! And face Tsuruga Ren normally, even if she had to pretend that everything was normal. Removing her little Tsuruga Ren voodoo doll from her satchel, she dangled it by its keychain. What was it about this man that made her this way? She did respect him. But that did not necessarily equate to love, right? Maybe she was just feeling under the weather.

Yes! That must be the reason! Pressing the doll's forehead to her own, she whispered, "I'm still okay. I'm not in love." She rubbed the top of the doll's head affectionately. "You gave me a fright there, you know." And then she paused. She should be feeling nothing but utter relief now, but instead why did she feel so lost and still depressed?

She stood up, her hands in her pockets, listening to the desolate refrain of each pitch and toss of the waves, and it sent her back to her house even though she knew she wouldn't be able to escape those whispers there either.

* * *

Tsuruga Ren bowed his head in disgust. It had been three days. Three dawns and dusks without her by his side. His little muse had done her best to evade him, successfully and quite skilfully outmanoeuvring his every counter, putting to shame his best efforts.

"So she wants to play this game, huh," he allowed that fine streak of possessiveness to curl around him. Knowing her, she would be as slippery as a gold fish and as adept at escaping as one. A small grin crept onto his face. A challenge. He hadn't had one in awhile.

He stood up and strode outside LME. Declining the use of a car knowing that it would only result in him driving around aimlessly, he walked off alone. He donned his usual disguise and set at a brisk pace. Lack of sleep and direction didn't deter him.

Glancing up at the myriad of colours that was the setting sun, he resisted the urge to wince. She would be on her way home now, that was for sure. For that matter, would he even know where she would head to when she was troubled? Ren tucked his hands stubbornly into his pockets.

"Think," he said aloud. "Where would she go?"

She wasn't the type to go window shopping after work. Nor was she likely to treat herself to dessert and tea at one of the delicatessens in the city.

An image from his past flashed before his eyes. "You know something Corn?" a young Kyouko nudged his shoulder. "The fairies here are very kind," she whispered as if imparting the world's greatest secret. "They told me..."

Ren's eyes widened. He knew where she would be.

He rushed over to his car and started the engine without preamble. He needed to get there now if he wanted to catch her before she left. He didn't slow as he saw the light switch to yellow in front of him. Instead, he shifted gears and hit the pedal. Accelerating more, his car zipped through the evening traffic with ease, his tyres squealing occasionally as he made tight turns. He narrowly avoided a huge trailer bearing down on him in the opposite direction as he overtook an annoyingly slow car.

Horns blaring behind him, Ren thought grimly, 'It would be purely ironic to get killed now.'

Easing his foot off the accelerator, he turned off at a little known road that he knew would lead to the beach. It was one of their secrets from back then, he thought as he impatiently halted the car and snapped off his seatbelt. Would she still be there? He jogged towards the beach.

There, silhouetted against the setting sun, he spotted her. She was just sitting there, watching the ebbing tide.

Ren released the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He'd found her.

Fully intending to make his presence known to her, he hesitated as her lips curved into a tired smile. Ren watched in fascination as she raised a small figurine and pressed it to her forehead. What was she doing? Just then, the wind blew in his direction carrying her softly spoken words to him, arresting him in his tracks.

"I'm still okay. I'm not in love."

* * *

**The Following Day**

* * *

"Tsuruga-san, allow me to introduce you to Kimiko Ikeda, my beautiful cousin," the fair-haired young man gestured towards the blushing girl kneeling across the table from Ren. "Kimiko-san, this is Tsuruga Ren."

Kimiko inclined her head prettily. "It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"No, the pleasure is mine," Ren intoned, making an effort to sound as neutral as possible. The whole debacle had barely begun and he was already wishing for its end. This was candidate number eleven in Emi Mitsuko's list of potential partners for him. All were pretty in their own right and some could even string a logical sentence together. Now if only they could all accept the fact that he just wasn't interested in any of them.

Yashiro stood discreetly in the background, keeping his eyes and ears open for any potential problems that would present a hitch in his little plan. He had a report to write to the President after all. He glanced over at the young girl whose face seemed to be stained a permanent crimson. Another fan, huh. If only Ren would just direct that thousand watt smile at her and send her into a dead faint. But perhaps that would only complicate things further. He sighed inwardly.

With a proud smile gracing his features, Yaneda added, "Kimiko-san is an expert in the art of tea ceremony, flower arrangement and adept at all musical instruments."

"That is wonderful," Ren replied softly.

"And she's got a PhD in Psychology from Tokyo University although she's only 20!"

"Congratulations. I'm sure your parents must be very proud of you."

Kimiko ducked her head in embarrassment. Yaneda was being so outspoken about her, and in front of Tsuruga Ren! She knew her cousin meant well, but at this rate, she definitely wasn't going to make a good impression. And to make matters worse, she was completely tongue-tied. All Tsuruga-san had to do was to meet her eyes and the connection between her mouth and her brain would just freeze. Perhaps it would be better to stay silent in case she started babbling some nonsense.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! Who knew how many women would kill to be in her shoes right now. Omiai with THE Tsuruga Ren? She gazed at him dreamily, completely unaware that she was staring.

Yashiro gave an impatient sniff. It didn't matter if they had a PhD or an MBA. Nor did it matter whether they were crowned Ms Japan. Yes, intelligent, sophisticated, and witty girls and women they were, but none of them suited Ren. And from Ren's demeanour, his patience was running thin.

Everything had to be handled delicately. Ren was after all an all-too famous actor. Too noticeable and far too busy to be attending such arrangements. Yashiro hid a small grin. Fortunately, they had come up with the perfect back-up plan for such occasions. As the two exchanged pleasantries, Yashiro took note of the time, making a show of checking his watch and his diary with ill-concealed exasperation.

Ren glanced up at him, lifting his brows in a silent enquiry. Yashiro cleared his throat, "You have an appointment scheduled at 1.30pm at Aoyama Studios. Since the director wishes to speak to you before it begins, I've arranged for an earlier flight to Osaka."

"I understand," he replied. Glancing at Kimiko, he said "I'm sorry to have to cut short our meeting. I hope you understand."

Awareness slapped her in the face when Ren addressed her and her mouth dropped open in dismay. "You have to leave now?" she blurted.

"Yes, the photograph shoot was rescheduled at the last minute."

"Oh..." she replied despondently, looking at the patterns of light playing across the table. "I see..."

"My apologies. I'll take my leave now," Ren stood and bowed gracefully.

"Wait," Yaneda said, noticing that Kimiko wasn't about to say anything else. "When will it be convenient for the second meeting?"

Ren paused. "My schedule is rather tight at the moment, so perhaps you could liaise with my manager for that."

"Okay..." Yaneda replied unhappily.

Ren turned to Yashiro. "I'll leave the details to you."

They were co-conspirators after all.

* * *

Ren adjusted his baseball cap and slipped on a pair of sunglasses. Clad in a simple woollen black turtleneck and leather jacket, he hunched slightly to look as inconspicuous as possible. It wouldn't do to be recognized in such a big crowd. Being an old hand at this, he could easily blend into the background. Overhead, various flight announcements were being made over the PA system. Keeping an ear open for any news on his delayed flight, he trotted over to the nearest unoccupied seat.

Yashiro would not be joining him on this flight since he had a few loose ends to tie up with the management in LME before joining Ren in Osaka. Besides, Ren had accidentally left a stack of important documentation in his apartment. Definitely not a mistake he would have normally made. Yashiro had huffed in resignation.

"You aren't getting enough rest! That's why!" Yashiro had exclaimed.

"Ah…perhaps."

"There are no maybes about it! You're worried about Kyouko-chan," his manager replied upon an intent perusal of Ren's tired features. "I'll be heading back first, okay? Make sure you keep your cell phone switched on!"

Well, there was no need to state the obvious, Ren thought as he watched Yashiro rush off. Kyouko, being Kyouko would hopefully come around. He rubbed his temples wearily. His manager was right. He really wasn't getting enough sleep.

Around him, the noise was fantastic. The airport was as busy as ever, he mused. A multitude of people, Japanese and foreigners alike rushing towards their destination. Ren leaned back in his chair, trying to get into a more comfortable position. He could make out a few groups of people. The lonely traveller carrying a gigantic backpack, probably on his way to explore some exotic country. The busy businessman, complete with an Aoyama suit and leather briefcase. The family unit on a group tour, consisting of father, mother and young children screaming for attention or a lost toy. Some were frantically rushing towards their exit gates while others loitered along, occasionally stopping at a boutique or one of those duty-free shops for alcohol or make-up.

Ren started. Perhaps… no, not perhaps. It would be a good idea. He chose a nearby shop and picked up a large bottle of cognac. At least Yashiro wasn't around to give him a lecture about buying liquor. He smiled sardonically. At least the alcohol would help him sleep, if exhaustion didn't.

* * *

Upon reaching his hotel in Osaka, Ren reached out and broke the seal on the bottle of cognac he had bought from the airport. He ran a weary hand through his hair distractedly. No matter what, work still took precedence over sleep. He had rushed from the airport to Aoyama Studios in record time. And in spite of it being close to midnight, the studio was still brilliantly lit and full of bustling workaholics.

'Well, it seems that I'm not the only one,' he had thought dryly as he had stared at the hive of activity surrounding him.

The photo shoot had been remarkably successful, although his mind had been miles away from it. Fortunately for him, his mood had somehow fit with what the photographer had in mind for the upcoming spring/summer collection. He poured himself a tall glass; relishing the warmth as it slid down his throat. A glance at the clock on his nightstand revealed the day to be barely noon.

He'd sunk to a new low, that much was evident.

But he did have the excuse of not having gotten any sleep for over 24 hours. At least he didn't have to put on that mask of cool nonchalance when he was alone. He drew a deep breath.

With all the work he was taking on, all these worries wouldn't disappear. If only life were that easy, he thought with a grim smile. Try as he might, he just couldn't figure out what he'd done to hurt her. He knew himself, yes, even though he had been acting rather out of the ordinary for the past few days. But when Kyouko had raised those bottomless brown eyes to his face and then glanced away, he had felt that cold grip of dread around his heart.

And what had those words meant? "I'm still okay. I'm not in love," Ren repeated her words aloud. Who was she referring to? Had Kijima Hidehito planted some strange ideas in her head? He slammed his glass on the table, almost cracking it in two.

Kijima Hidehito. He would murder the bastard himself if he ever gets his slimy hands on Kyouko's heart.

Alone in his hotel room, he allowed himself a moment's weakness. Cradling his head in his palms, he embraced the fatigue that coursed through his body. It galled him to know that she had no such feelings for him.

She didn't know what she meant to him.

She had no idea.

And as long as she was kept in the dark about his feelings for her, as long as she couldn't understand why she meant so much to him, all this was going to continue in a vicious cycle. He simply didn't know how much more of this he could take. A headache throbbed at his temples.

Briefly, Ren recalled a conversation he had with the President. "When you're in love, the more serious things get, the more composure you'll lose. To put it simply, love turns you into an idiot." At that time, all he could do was stare dumbfounded at Lory. "One behaves like a maniac and doesn't care how stupid one looks," Lory had continued ruthlessly. "Someone like you who just laughs when breaking up and allows your partner to go with a light heart cannot maintain that they were really in love once."

It was true. All the relationships he had in the past were all meaningless. Nothing compared to what he felt now. The agony of not being together with her. The hitch in his chest as he considered the possibility that she'd never feel that way for him.

"Am I an idiot…?" he muttered.

As he got up and walked to his balcony, staring blindly at the magnificent view, his body taut with misery and exhaustion, he realized two things:

The first was easy. The alcohol was doing nothing to numb those feelings. More potent liquor was definitely in order.

Which led him to the second, which wasn't easy at all. But he had to do it. He had to somehow talk to her. If necessary, tell her everything.

"What happened to all that stuff about you not being able to fall in love?" he asked aloud. He knew he didn't deserve her. She was far, far too innocent and too young for someone as jaded as he was.

But Kyouko was… to put it simply, his light.

He couldn't let her go.

As if to make matters worse, Emi Mitsuko had called earlier. His self-appointed matchmaker. He cringed recalling their conversation.

"Although you've dutifully met up with every single woman as arranged, none of them appeal to you?" she had asked right off the bat.

"It's good to hear from you too, Emi-san"

"Don't change the subject. You know what I'm talking about."

Ren had grimaced. "Of course I know what you're talking about. As you requested, I met up with every single one of them, treated them very courteously and adhered to all the customs as required."

"You didn't like any of them? They're the crème de la crème! Beautiful, successful and all enchanted by you. But none of them have heard from you since the first meeting," she remarked, twirling a lock of hair around her fingers.

"Because none of them are suitable," he sighed, not bothering to hide his exasperation any longer. "You of all people should know that these kinds of emotions can't be forced."

"You are indeed very difficult to please," Emi smiled. She hadn't expected this to be an easy task. No matter how Ren argued otherwise, she knew that this would be the best option for him. He was far too lonely, far too devoted to his work.

If only he'd been born earlier, she grinned mischievously. Unfortunately her husband would have her head if he knew how much she enjoyed Ren's friendship.

"I do this purely out of respect for you," Ren stressed.

"I know," she replied softly. "All this is for your sake, Ren-kun."

Ren frowned at the memory. One more day to go until his flight home.

* * *

**New York**

* * *

Two men lounged on creamy sofas, their voices low and muted as they discussed politics and the latest news. While both wore their silvery hair long, the taller of the two carried an aura of power and authority, but boredom was clearly stamped on his sharp features. They had been on the brink of iridescent success, only to be brought crashing down to earth disastrously by a certain individual. Triumph so sweet you could almost taste it, he thought harshly as he stood up.

"Reino…" the other man moaned. "Where are you going? The party's just getting started…," he drawled, his words clearly enunciating his inebriated state.

"I..." Reino's words cut off mid-sentence as a blinding flash of lightning illuminated their penthouse suite.

"Whoah…" Miroku choked.

Images began flashing into Reino's head. Brief glimpses of a golden haired boy. A deadly knife dangled in one hand, stained with trails of fresh blood. His eyes cold and dark, hauntingly familiar, as they peered into his own. He stared back into the depths of the young boy's eyes, feeling as if his deepest secrets were beginning to seep out involuntarily. Reino's skin crawled and cold sweat broke out, dampening his forehead. But he couldn't escape those hollow eyes. He was being cornered. Pinned. Trapped. The smell of impending death permeated the air. Fear, coppery in its fragrance rose like bile in his throat.

_SLAP!_

Reino inhaled sharply at the pain on his cheek. His head snapped up and he stared at Miroku in anger. "What the hell was that for?"

"You'd gone under. I had to bring you back."

"Damnit!"

Miroku frowned, his expression clearly illustrating his distaste. "You're welcome. Though you had me worried for awhile. That seemed completely involuntary. 'Seeing' people's pasts, I mean."

Reino jerked, as if he'd been shot. It hadn't occurred to him back then. But _that_ was definitely him. A slow satisfied smile crept onto his face. The world is a small place after all, he smirked. Poetical justice at its finest. Yes, the cat has gotten into the cream, he thought as he made that very important telephone call to Japan.

Miroku leaned against the counter curiously as he watched his friend's expression of ill-suppressed glee. "What are you doing?"

"Getting revenge."

"As always," Miroku replied with a chuckle. "Who's the target this time?"

"The lion who got in my way when I was picking a lovely red apple."

* * *

The insisting ringing in his head wasn't the alcohol after all, Ren groaned as he rolled over and pressed that little green button to answer his handphone. "Hello?"

"Ren?"

"Yeah. What's up?" he glanced at his little clock on the bedside table. Grimacing at the illuminated hands, he muttered, "It's 5am, President. Anything important?"

Lory clicked his tongue impatiently. He hated to do this but he had no choice now. Not when everything was at stake. His orders were brisk and to the point. "Stay in Osaka. Don't catch that flight home. I'll handle everything on my end. And for goodness' sake, don't answer the damn phone unless it's from my private line!"

The line went dead.

Ren stared at the offending phone in his hands. Now what was _that_ all about? Somehow he had this strange sense of impending doom that was beginning to stir in his belly.

* * *

_**Blacktohru: **__Hiya people! A great big thank you to those who voted and reviewed! For those of you who haven't (HINTHINT!) this is what the poll is about:_

_**Who are your two favourite guys in Skip Beat? (Randomly ordered to remove bias by the creator)**_

_Reino of Vie Ghoul_

_Hiroaki Ogata Hiroaki Date_

_Ushio Kurosaki_

_Kuu Hizuri_

_Takarada Kouki_

_Tsuruga Ren_

_Uesugi Hio_

_Sawara Takenori_

_Fuwa Shotaro_

_Yashiro Yukihito_

_Takarada Lory_

_Honestly speaking, it did take awhile to compile all those names. Did anyone have any problems recognizing all those names up there? Oh by the way, the earlier poll is still ongoing, so for those who are interested, just vote! _

_Next up, Chapter 8. It's gonna get quite, shall we say, INTERESTING in the next few chapters. LOL! _

_By the way, does anyone know the direct translation/han yi pin yin of this: "_敦賀蓮_"__? I was just wondering… _


	10. Chapter 8: Catastrophe

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru:**__ Thank you for all those lovely reviews and my sincerest apologies for not being able to reply personally to all. Rewriting sure is tiring work! I won't say the end is drawing near just yet, but we're definitely getting there. To all my loyal readers and supporters, this chapter is for you! _

* * *

_**Chapter 7 – Red Light**_

_The insisting ringing in his head wasn't the alcohol after all, Ren groaned as he rolled over and pressed that little green button to answer his handphone. "Hello?"_

"_Ren?"_

"_Yeah. What's up?" he glanced at his little clock on the bedside table. Grimacing at the illuminated hands, he muttered, "It's 5am, President. Anything important?"_

_Lory clicked his tongue impatiently. He hated to do this but he had no choice now. Not when everything was at stake. His orders were brisk and to the point. "Stay in Osaka. Don't catch that flight home. I'll handle everything on my end. And for goodness' sake, don't answer the damn phone unless it's from my private line!"_

_The line went dead. _

_Ren stared at the offending phone in his hands. Now what was that all about? Somehow he had this strange sense of impending doom that was beginning to stir in his belly._

* * *

_**Chapter 8 – Catastrophe**_

Yashiro stood at the intricately carved archway adorned with white and red roses, reminiscent of some old movie that was intensely popular when he was a child. It would have been worth chuckling over had things been normal. But now, things were far from normal.

Lory sat at his desk, absently stroking his chin as he gazed blindly out of his window, oblivious to the brutal images that were displayed on his TV at that moment. He had the tube tuned to the news channel, Yashiro thought miserably. They were even showing it on the news! The fair-haired manager stole a glance at the President worriedly. Although the sound was muted, he was certain Lory had known about this far ahead of anyone else.

"Is all that true?" Yashiro blurted, his voice unnaturally loud in the silence that was Lory's office. "All those rumours, those photographs, the gory videos. Are they real? They're not real, are they?" Yashiro gave a little awkward laugh. "I knew they weren't real. Someone must be fabricating all those gossip and making up all that 'evidence' to destroy Ren!" The slim man's shoulders drooped. "Those weren't real, right?"

The President allowed a small grunt of annoyance to escape. "No," he began and held up his hand to dim that light of hope that appeared in Yashiro's eyes. "Not all of it's real. But for the most part, yes," he admitted.

Ren's manager slumped into the chair opposite Lory. "They're real? That was Ren when he was a boy of what – fifteen?" he shook his head in denial. "That boy in those pictures, those videos, he's nothing like Ren!"

"Exactly," Lory clasped his hands together. "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room, do you understand?" he levelled a steady gaze on the hapless man.

Yashiro straightened in his chair in affront. "I am Tsuruga Ren's manager," he stated succinctly. "And more than that, I am his friend and up to this point, I thought myself to be his confidante. But it seems that I was mistaken."

"That isn't Ren's fault, it's mine. I was the one who gave that order not to let anyone know," Lory replied dryly. "Anyway, let's start from the beginning, shall we? Makes things easier to understand. But first," the taller man gestured to the bar. "Would you like something to drink? I believe you'll be needing some alcohol in your system before you hear my story."

Sighing a little, Yashiro nodded in defeat. "A beer would be fine." Drinking at 2 in the afternoon. He should be in Osaka by now, dragging Ren off for another appointment or scheduling in that new drama that Ren was supposed to be the lead for.

Lory strode to the bar and carelessly picked a bottle of whiskey, a can of beer and two cups. He had a feeling Yashiro would want to switch to whiskey soon.

Setting the drinks down on the table, Lory dropped the bombshell that the media hadn't picked up yet. "Tsuruga Ren was born Hizuri Kuon."

"Hizuri?" Yashiro jolted forward. "That would mean he's…!"

"Yes, the one and only son of Hizuri Kuu."

"But! They bumped into each other before at the studio! Kyouko-chan even introduced Ren to Kuu!"

Lory nodded. "Again, those were my orders."

"Your orders were for a father to not acknowledge his own son and vice versa?" Yashiro asked hollowly. He wouldn't have believed such things of the President.

"Harshly put, but essentially true," Lory was grim. "I took Kuu's son away from him, gave him a new name, a new life, a chance to erase his past and to look ahead to the future without being tied down by all that baggage."

Pressing fingers to his temple, Lory recalled how excited Kuu had been when Kuon had wanted to be an actor.

"_Boss! You wouldn't believe what my adorable son told me today!" Kuu had practically yelled over the phone. _

_Wincing at the phone, Lory replied, "There's no need to yell, I can hear you perfectly well." But because it was Kuu and because Lory understood how it felt to be a father, he asked, "So, what did Kuon say to you this time?"_

"_I'll never forget this day! It's the best day of my life!" Kuu sighed ecstatically. _

"_It was the best day of your life when you got that Golden Globe Award for Best Male Actor in a drama series. It was the best day of your life when you married Julie. It was also the best day of your life the day Kuon was born," Lory's tone was wry._

"_No need to get jealous of me, Boss! I know I'm a lucky man!"_

"_Jealous?" Lory all but spluttered. "Have you lost your mind?"_

"_Nope!" the insult rolled off Kuu like water off a duck's back. "Though I really wish I could have recorded that moment, you know, with those nifty little video-capturing gadgets."_

"_They're called camcorders. And you can jolly well afford one! Anyway, stop changing the subject. What did Kuon say to you?"_

_Kuu's voice was reverent. "He said: 'Because you love your job as an actor, so I want to do the same work as you, Dad!'"_

The President blinked as the memory faded and paused to emphasise his next words. "Yashiro-san, you must understand. Kuu was at the peak of his career at that time, an international star in both US and Japan. How do you think his son would feel after he joins the same industry as his beloved father's, only to be ridiculed for his puny efforts?"

"But, they're two different people! It would be unfair to compare them both, especially since Kuu has had training and years of experience behind him."

"Humans are humans after all, no matter what country you live in. Because he was the son of a famous actor, because everyone had high expectations of him, and most of all, because he had high expectations of himself. All the more reason why he couldn't forgive himself. You should know how hard he is on himself, being his manager." Lory took a gulp of his whiskey to wash away the bad taste in his mouth. "All this, for him as an actor, as a person, to be able to support his own life by his own efforts.

"I stole him away from his family, his home, to give him a fresh start in the country he was born and raised in. So that he would become an actor of equal rank to his father, on the condition that his success would never be a by-product of him being the son of Hizuri Kuu."

Overwhelmed, Yashiro nodded. He knew far too well, the extents Ren would go for acting. Even when he was facing problems with his role in Dark Moon, Ren had withdrawn into himself, shutting everyone out of his world. While Ren would occasionally talk about himself, there were times when he would feel that he hadn't gotten a fix on him at all. Or rather, he was just too full of mysteries.

"I think I'll have that whiskey after all," Yashiro said dejectedly. "Please go on with your story."

"Are you sure? That's pretty much the gist of it, but the whole story will take awhile."

"I'm his manager. His friend. That's reason enough."

* * *

"Not all is well in our entertainment world," a young reporter smiled excitedly into the camera. "Yes, indeed. Yesterday, he was the heart-throbbing actor of our silver screens; today the media is having a feeding frenzy! Need I introduce him further? Well, for the uninitiated, he is, THE…," he dragged his words, imagining drum roll in the background. "TSURUGA REN!"

"Tsuruga Ren has been at the peak of his career until recently, scoring and scorching our screens with his latest sizzling drama, Dark Moon and a new movie titled 'The Black Dragon' in the works." For dramatic effect, the reporter gestured at the crowd behind him. "Look at all his fans! No one could believe their eyes when these images hit our screen. Are they real? Are they made-up? Is Tsuruga Ren really the gentleman we all think he is? Take a look for yourself!"

Pictures began filling the screen, images of Kuon in a fistfight, smashing an open palm into his opponent's neck, blood strewn streets. A video someone had taken, perhaps a witness to the fight, or one of his attackers. Capturing everything in its vivid gory. The screams of agony, the pleading for mercy of the fallen, the reckless, heartless gleam in his eyes as he ignored it all.

"We're trying to get some comments and feedback from his co-stars…wait! I believe they're coming out now!" Waving a hand madly in her direction, he called out, "Kyouko-san!"

She lifted her pale face in his direction at the sound of her name, but her eyes fell when she realised that he was a reporter.

"Kyouko-san! Have you seen those pictures and videos of Tsuruga Ren? Do you believe they're real?" the reporter yelled insistently.

She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't believe they're real."

"Such faith in Tsuruga Ren! Do you happen to be a fan of his, then?" he thrust his mike into her face. "Or," he leaned in closer, "Are you in love with Tsuruga Ren?"

Kyouko raised shocked eyes to his face as bright red flags of humiliation stained her cheeks.

"You wouldn't be the first one!" the reporter was tenacious.

"That's enough!" A man blocked the reporter's path, effectively cutting off his interview with Kyouko. "There's no need to harass her."

But the reporter only grinned slyly. "Protecting her, Fuwa-san? That's certainly out of the ordinary for you."

Sho clasped Kyouko's icy fingers in his, tightening his hold as she instinctively recoiled from his touch. Without turning to face the reporter, he replied shortly, "Yes, I am protecting her from vultures like yourself."

Seeing his prey walk off with all hopes of making the biggest headlines in history, the young reporter desperately called out one last question: "Why?"

"Because she's my childhood friend."

Kyouko wriggled out of Sho's grasp. She wasn't the least bit grateful that he had shown up. As always, he had turned up like the bad egg he was, only to make matters worse. What if that reporter turned what he had said around? His childhood friend indeed! She scowled with revulsion. If possible, she would never want their names associated in any manner.

Slapping his hand away as he tried to seize her wrist again, she turned the force of her glare on him. "Just go away," she whispered. "I don't have the time for this now, okay? Just leave me alone."

"What? Is this how you speak to your rescuer? How uncute!"

"Uncute?" she laughed hollowly. Even her demons lacked their usual ferociousness. She was just too exhausted to argue with him. Stepping away from him, she walked off. She had a movie to film, she thought. No sense in wasting any more time on someone like him.

"Hey, I'll wait for you outside the studio once you're done, okay?" Sho called out to her.

Kyouko sighed to herself, refusing to grace him with a reply. He was the least of her worries for now.

Sho remained where he was for awhile, watching her walk off dejectedly.

'Was it the news of Tsuruga Ren's downfall?' he wondered. She wasn't the type to become a fan of some superstar. Not like Tsuruga Ren was a superstar, he amended forcefully. He was just a little popular because of his looks. He frowned at the thought. It wasn't like he was THAT good-looking either. Some people just didn't have taste.

'She's not the type to worry so much over someone like him!'

Unless she had developed special feelings for him, a voice inside whispered.

"No way! Absolutely no way! There is no way in hell I'm gonna let that happen!"

* * *

Kyouko stepped into the studio, just five minutes early. All around her, studio members and crew alike were huddled into corners, whispering and debating over the latest news of their lead actor. Several eyes turned in her direction but they quickly glanced away and the heated discussion would halt mid-sentence.

They were shaken by the news, no doubt, she thought. But they didn't have to worsen the situation by gossipping about their colleague in that manner. It was saddening to see his reputation get torn to shreds.

Kijima loped over to her side unhesitatingly calling out her name. "Kyouko-chan! Punctual as always!" Placing an arm around her shoulders, he began a single-sided monologue as he guided her over to the meeting point. Kyouko started when she felt his arm on her shoulders.

'Kijima-san is rather affectionate,' she thought to herself. While she had never enjoyed being touchy-feely with another person, with Moko-san being the exception of course, she was grateful for his antics that morning.

Kijima stopped his excited ramblings as he noted Kyouko's pale and tired demeanour. "You're worried about Tsuruga-kun, aren't you?"

"Eh? Ah…yes," she admitted. "You don't believe those stories that's being circulated now, do you?" she turned her shining brown doe eyes on him hopefully.

Kijima stopped in his tracks. "I don't believe it," he said slowly. "Tsuruga-kun, he's a great person to work with and I can tell you that he isn't cruel or evil. He's nothing like that person they were showing on TV."

"Exactly!" Kyouko replied excitedly. "There's no way it could be him!"

Pulling her closer to his side, Kijima asked her gently, "Would you worry about me that much if anything were to happen to me, I wonder."

"Eh? Of course I would worry about Kijima-san!" Kyouko craned her neck to meet his eyes. "Kijima-san is my senpai, right?" she smiled at him beguilingly.

"Just your senpai? Or am I in the same category as Tsuruga-kun in your eyes?"

"Same category? What are you talking about, Kijima-san?"

"Kyouko-san! Kijima-san!" The director called out.

"Uh, the director is calling us now," she replied uncertainly.

Nodding, Kijima replied, "Later then."

Kijima-san was so confusing at times, she thought to herself as they walked over to their director. He was all touchy-feely with her, and said strange things at times, but she realised it all too clearly. To compare himself with Tsuruga-san? What she had with Tsuruga-san, that relationship, that bond, it just couldn't be put into words. The feelings he evoked when he was near her, the sound of his deep voice over the phone, she missed all that so much. He was…special to her, she thought forcefully as she struggled to find the right phrase to describe their relationship. No one could take his place. No one could ever compare to him.

All around her, members of the crew and actors alike were crowding around the director. "Listen up, people!" he called out above the din. "We will be continuing our filming without Tsuruga-kun for now. The show must go on," he insisted as everyone started talking excitedly. "We are a team and team members stand by each other! I will continue to wait and place my trust in Tsuruga-kun. I hope all of you here will do the same."

Around him, everyone was staring at each other as they watched and waited to see what everyone else would do. Some began nodding in agreement while others were still uncertain, shaking their heads at the director's naivety.

"No matter what they say, it could all be a lie! We should just wait for Tsuruga-san to explain everything," someone called out.

"That's right!"

"The Tsuruga-san we know isn't a bit like that person they were showing on TV!"

"We trust Tsuruga-san!"

The rally continued for awhile with Kyouko joining in enthusiastically. Kijima just stood next to her silently, observing her heightened mood as she pumped her fist into the air with everyone else.

It was a strange feeling indeed, he smiled a little as she exuberantly joined the crowd. He would never have looked at her twice, if not for them being casted in the same movie. Her cheeks, alabaster white earlier had taken on a flattering peach-like glow. While not pretty in the conventional way, the girl had a way of warming his heart with her unaffected candor. A very big improvement over the usual actresses he hung out with.

She was somehow...cute. He scratched his head as he considered that inadequate phrase to describe Kyouko. His young kouhai had more depths to her personality that she let on. He knew that for sure. And if his sixth sense was right, she was about to become exceedingly popular in the future. By then, she would be far beyond his reach.

His lips curved into a sardonic grin. Acting, to him, wasn't as hyped up as he thought it was initially. The amount of work he put in just didn't jive with the benefits. Monetary rewards aside, his social life was nothing more than the putrid stink of a stagnant swamp. He allowed his gaze to roam over all the feminine beauties in the room.

When was the last time he had had a serious relationship? He could barely remember the names of all the girls he had gone out with in the past. There was a...Jennifer? Or was it Joanie? Ah, yes. There was an eighteen year old model as well. Perfect complexion, exquisite legs. He frowned. Models were really not his taste. Besides obsessing over every molecule of skin on their body, she had a body which felt like skin stretched too tightly over frame of bones.

Kyouko laughed then - a soft musical giggle which warmed his heart. But he could see the strain and effort it took for her to maintain that facade of calmness in the light of the recent situation.

He didn't know why he did what he did when he reflected on it later. But he really didn't have it in his heart to regret his behaviour. He grasped her wrist tightly and pulled, almost making her lose her balance in the process. But before she could exclaim or protest, he tugged harder, forcing her to follow him out of the room.

"Kijima-san!" she panted, jogging a little to keep up with him. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't answer her until he reached the far corner of the studio. He stopped and turned to face her properly.

"Kijima-san?"

His breathing was laboured, his heart thudding a strange rhythm in his chest. He glowered at the young girl before him.

Kyouko stared at him with worried eyes. "Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?" She raised a hand to feel his forehead hesitantly. "You don't seem to have a fever."

The feeling of her hand on his forehead sent a jolt of electricity through him. He snatched her wrist, his grip tightening further.

"Ah! Sorry!" she unsuccessfully tried to release herself from his iron hold. "I just thought I'd check if you have a temperature."

"Is that all I am to you?" his voice held a note she didn't recognize.

"What?"

"Am I nothing more than a senpai, a colleague to you?"

"Kijima-san? What are you trying to say?"

"That's all I'll ever be, huh." His tone was downcast, but his eyes were flint hard. "You're always looking at Tsuruga-kun, you know. Even when he's not there physically, you're chasing after his shadow."

She stared at him dumbfounded. What on earth was he talking about?

As if to answer her unspoken question, he continued, "I know this, because I'm always watching you. Your eyes follow him, you light up when he speaks to you and you seem...somewhat happier when he's with you."

"Kijima-san, you're not making any sense." She pushed at his hand, trying frantically to release herself. "You're hurting me!"

He dropped her wrist as though burnt. "Sorry! I...I didn't mean to!"

She rubbed her tender wrist and gave him an intent look. "I really haven't the faintest clue as to what you're talking about. Tsuruga-san is my senpai, so I am naturally worried about him." Her eyes softened as she mentioned his name.

His jaw dropped a little. Could it be...

"Anyway, if you're feeling unwell, you should really go and see a doctor."

Could it be...that this girl...

"It's important to take care of your health," she continued, oblivious to the widening of his eyes and the stunned expression stamped on his face.

This girl...had no idea?

"Tsuruga-san's like that too." Her expression gentled; her voice almost affectionate as she spoke of him. "He's so focused on acting that he rarely takes the time to eat and even when he does, I can assure you it'll be something completely unhealthy."

She had no idea! He felt like shaking her. Here she was, talking like a young girl in love. But! He paused. Perhaps he would stand a chance then.

"I'm sorry, Tsuruga-kun. But, I want her for myself. All's fair in love and war..." he thought to himself silently.

Aloud, he said, "Could you join me for dinner tonight?" When she looked balky at his suggestion, he added hurriedly, "To make up for hurting you. It's the least I could do. Please? Please?"

"Kijima-san..."

"Please! I'll never be able to forgive myself if I didn't apologize properly!"

She sighed in defeat. "Okay, just this once then."

* * *

Back at her dressing room, Kyouko leaned back in her chair wearily. In the end, they hadn't done much work. But at least she knew that these people supported Tsuruga-san. She closed her eyes resignedly. To top it off, Kijima-san had been downright strange. Kyouko frowned to herself. Had agreeing to dinner been a wise decision? Moko had, after all, warned her not to get too close to him.

"Argh! Mou! That's not important now!" She threw her hands up in the air in disgust. The important matter to consider was Tsuruga-san's problem. "Those weren't images of Tsuruga-san", she mumbled to herself. They couldn't be, she thought a little frantically. It was all an honest mistake. But somehow or other, those images of that young boy looked familiar. A nagging feeling at the back of her brain nudged her repeatedly. She _knew_ that person. She frowned. How could she? She'd never set foot outside of Japan before and those images were obviously taken in a western country. There was no reason why she would know someone like that. But he was just so _familiar! _

Bending down to remove the newspaper someone had left on her dressing table, she absently glanced at it and stared. More pictures of the person who was purportedly Tsuruga Ren. The only blonde haired boy that she knew was Corn and that person couldn't possibly be Corn. Corn was a Fairy Prince, she thought steadfastly.

The harsh expression on his face. That was nothing like anyone she recognized. Even Tsuruga-san in a bad mood never looked like that. As if the whole world had turned against him and he was ready to fight back if necessary. A person who felt death had no meaning. She shuddered involuntarily. Studying the picture more carefully, she noted his sharp features and the set of his jaw. No wonder people thought that person was Tsuruga-san, she reflected idly. The resemblance was uncanny, if not for the fact that he was blonde. Following the lines of his neck, she stared at the necklace the young boy wore around his neck. There was no mistaking that charm. It was the same one Corn had worn.

This cannot be happening, she thought, her heart clenching painfully in her chest.

* * *

"You know very well I won't be able to continue staying at this hotel. The studio is paying for it and I really can't impose on them like this."

Even over the long distance call, Lory's exasperation was evident. "Then where are you planning to stay? Your face is too well recognized. All the more so with all this hype."

"You can't expect me to sit on my hands while all this is going on."

"Damnit, Ren! I really wish you hadn't inherited that nature of yours from Kuu!" the President shoved his hair back. "Principles to live by are important. But you don't have to follow the straight and narrow all the time! Not everything is painted in black and white."

Ren was silent. The same questions had been turning in his head ever since he heard the news. What should he do? What must be done? How could he fix this? Irreparable damage to his life. His career. He had nothing left. 5 years of hard work all down the drain. He was helpless. It was a horrible feeling, he thought as he swirled amber liquid in his glass. More alcohol to numb the pain.

"I've been weighing my options," he began. "I could stay out of the limelight for awhile and hope all this dies down in a month or so. Or I could hold a conference and declare that all those pictures and videos are fakes."

"How are you going to prove it, Ren?" Lory was disheartened. "Your reputation is already at stake. If you cannot provide evidence that all those are fakes, then the media are going to tear into you like wolves."

Ren winced. "Then what the hell do you expect me to do?" He paused. "You're planning something. Spill it."

Lory smiled grimly at Ren's insight. Nothing less than what he would expect from his protégé. "We tell them the truth."

* * *

_**Blacktohru: **__Phew! Ren's in trouble now! Updates will be along in time. I'm still rewriting certain parts. Thank you for being so patient! In the meantime, go check out Lady of the Hunt and Lady Silverhawk's 'Scandalous'. It's absolutely fantastic! Oh, and please do drop me a line or two. Feedback is always welcome! _


	11. Chapter 9: Stranded

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru: **__Thank you for all the encouraging reviews. They inspire me so much, so keep them coming! Constructive criticism is more than welcome as well since I'm still learning how to write! Oh, an important note: I've amended a few details in the earlier chapters. Gomen! I made a really huge mistake which La Jazz kindly pointed out. For those who are interested, please re-read chapters 5, 6 and 7. Otherwise, please PM me if you want a brief rundown of the changes that I made. This one is dedicated to La Jazz – thank you for your everlasting support and help in beta-reading those chapters! _

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Stranded**

Ren stretched as he contemplated his suitcase before him. While his wardrobe had never been extensive, all he had was far too formal for what he had planned. Sighing a little, he donned a pair of jeans, a simple black long sleeved top and a colourless woollen jacket.

There, he didn't look any different from normal. He regarded his reflection in the full length mirror. At least he would look years younger with his sunglasses and cap. He had decided to pose as a university student for the time being. That way, he would be able to blend into the crowd. Plus, people tend to pass over those less significant than themselves. A poor university student wouldn't catch much attention, he deduced. His only problem, again, was his height. Would he have to buy ragged t-shirts and torn jeans to complete the ensemble?

He grinned inwardly at the thought. He hadn't donned anything like that for the past 5 years. Even in America, his taste in clothing had been sensible enough, unlike his counterparts who favoured black Goth styles, complete with ragged and torn shirts shouting their latest preference in rock bands and numerous piercings across their faces. In some strange way, he looked forward to this. It would be a challenge, convincing people with his acting skills that he wasn't Tsuruga Ren.

So, the first item on his agenda was to find a suitable place to stay. He ruffled his newly dyed hair to create a messy, unkempt look and jammed the cap on top of it. Looking up, he scanned the busy streets of Osaka. He had been here several times in the past, although his visits had been business trips for the most part, with little to no time for sight-seeing. In fact, his knowledge of Osaka was limited to the studio, the airport and the hotel. Period.

Shrugging, he strolled down the street unhurriedly, noting the types of shops that lined that street. He didn't really want to stay anywhere near the hotel the studio had booked for him. Soon, someone would leak that information out and the whole place would be swarming. He grimaced with distaste at the thought of being surrounded by reporters seeking his demise in the entertainment industry.

Glancing around him, he spotted a shop with a bright sign outside that advertised real estate.

'Well, no harm taking a look.' He stepped into the shop as bells chimed, announcing his presence.

"Irrashai!" a cheery voice called out from behind the counter. "Give me a minute, won't you? I need to keep these before I –" she gasped as the whole pile of files she was balancing precariously slid off her arms.

Leaping forward to help her, Ren managed to catch her arm before she fell to the floor with the files.

"Awww, now everything's messed up again!" she laughed as she tucked stray wisps of hair behind her ear. "Thanks for your help! You caught me just in time."

Ren nodded uncertainly. "I must have dropped in at a bad time. Could I help you with those?" he gestured to the files.

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it! I'll handle it later," she dismissed the mess on the floor with a careless wave. "Anyway, how may I help you? Looking for some hot property to invest in? Or perhaps you're considering selling off one of your acquisitions?" she eyed him from head to toe, taking in his unmistakably tall built. Definitely not your everyday customer, she thought as she noted his casual appearance; rich dark auburn hair with red highlights that reached down the back of his neck, complete with a polo shirt with its collar turned upwards and jacket sleeves pushed back at his elbows, his wide belt and charcoal black designer jeans emphasizing his slim hips.

Reaching up, Ren removed his cap and sunglasses, pushing his hair off his forehead, unwittingly destroying his unkempt look as his hair settled back into place.

'Tall, dark and handsome!' she squealed to herself. 'Lucky!'

Pity she couldn't really see his face properly, with the poor lighting in her shop But what she could see was definitely appealing. She licked her lips predatorily.

'Be assertive! But not too forward. Can't be chasing the nice customer away, can I! Oh, he's looking rather confused now. Switch tactics! Think!'

"My name is Miyuki Sana. If you aren't quite sure what you're looking for, perhaps I could recommend something appropriate?"

Ren blanked out for a moment. "Kyou," he blurted. "My name is Kyou. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated," he added as smoothly as he could.

'A downright sexy voice to boot! This day is just getting better and better!' Sana clasped her hands together excitedly. "So tell me, Kyou-san, were you looking for anything in particular? Just give me some pointers and I'll do the rest!"

"Erm, I'm not too familiar with Osaka, so it's rather difficult to tell which locations are the best. I'm looking for someplace out of the city, but commutable. A simple, single bedroom apartment. Nothing fancy."

She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "In that case, let me get you some profiles to look through. Please take a seat." She disappeared behind the counter again.

Ren breathed in. He'd been careless. Walking into a shop like this when he hadn't worked out a proper 'front'. That was really quite unprofessional of him. Whatever the case, the damage was done. Hopefully she wouldn't recognize him. But seriously, what had addled his brain to the extent that he had to use _her_ name?

* * *

Three hours later, Ren was sitting at the same desk with stacks of brochures and pictures that covered every occupiable space available.

"Perhaps I'm being too fussy," he admitted with a chagrined smile at the stubborn girl sitting in front of him.

"No! It's good to know exactly what you want! I'm sure I'll be able to find something that's absolutely perfect for you, Kyou-san!" She got up again to pace the wall of files facing her. Suddenly, she whipped around to face Ren, her eyes glowing with inspiration. "How long did you say you wanted to stay in Osaka for?"

"I didn't mention, but roughly around a month or so? My plans are indefinite for the time being."

"A month…perhaps _that_ will do!" she darted into the back room and returned with a set of keys. Donning a glaringly pink jacket and gloves, she called out, "Common! Let's go!"

"Go? Aren't you going to tell me more about it first?"

"Don't have to. I know you'll love it!"

* * *

"Well, it does look nice," Ren took a walk around the apartment, satisfied that it was small enough to suit his needs. It was a simple one bedroom apartment but it had a wonderful view of the sea and the picturesque town that clustered around the beachfront. Seagulls dotted the landscape, a stark white contrast against the brilliant turquoise blue of the ocean. Ren leaned on the intricate wrought iron balustrade and took in an invigorating breath of fresh air from the balcony. It was perfect, he thought whimsically. Peaceful, quiet, and a far cry from the stifling crowds of the city.

Ren strolled back in to get acquainted with the rest of the apartment. It was fully furnished, as per his request. A simple two plus one ochre linen sofa and a matching mahogany coffee table was placed opposite the floor to ceiling window, taking full advantage of the magnificent view outside. An ancient television was hidden unobtrusively in a cabinet. The previous owner definitely hadn't spent much time watching the tube. The kitchen on the other hand was fully equipped with the latest in electrical appliances, far more than he had ever seen before or even contemplated using. The bedroom was straightforward, consisting of a small oak wardrobe and dresser, but it shared the view with the living room which was ideal. From what he could see, all that he really needed to get was a larger bed to fit his tall frame.

"It's perfect," he said softly.

"It is, isn't it? I can't believe I didn't think of this place earlier," Sana knocked the side of her head lightly.

"Sa-chan! Is that you?" a gravelly voice called out.

"Ah, Ba-chan! I found someone who wants to rent Kasumi's place!"

"Ehhh? I can't hear you properly Sa-chan! Give me a minute and I'll come in."

"Ba-chan! That's not necessary!"

"Nonsense," the tiny old lady let herself in and smiled up at Ren. "As neighbours, it's always good to know each other, isn't that right young man?"

Immediately warming to her kind voice, Ren bent down to clasp her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am. My name is Kyou."

"See, Sa-chan? What a polite young man!" she took his hands gently in her gnarled ones and patted them affectionately. "I'm Sana-chan's grandmother, Yuzuki Kumiko but you can call me Ba-chan as well."

Ren was slightly startled for a moment and then he smiled, allowing his rare genuine side to peek through.

Just then, Ren's handphone rang, a shrill sound amidst the serene environment in the apartment. They stared at him as Ren dug out his phone. He smiled at them apologetically and walked over to the balcony to take the call.

"Hello?"

"…."

"Hello? Hello?" he repeated.

"You're okay!" Kyouko burst out.

"Ah, yes," he replied, his lips quirking into a smile at the relief in her voice. "Would you mind if I call you back later? I'm a little busy now."

"Sorry! Didn't mean to bother you," she said softly. "Uhm, I'll be pretty busy until late tonight since Okami-san needs my help in the Ryokan. So, if it's not too late, I'll call you back? Or will tomorrow be fine?"

"Tomorrow should be fine," Ren replied. "It's good to hear your voice."

"I can never stop worrying about you, can I?" she joked.

Ren smiled at her words as that familiar tingling warmth began spreading. "From the way things are going, I don't think so."

She laughed. "Okay then. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Alright. Take care."

"You too, Tsuruga-san. Bye," she replied and hung up.

Snapping his phone shut, he couldn't help but notice both Sana and her grandmother staring at him a little strangely.

"Is anything the matter?" he queried, eying their identical looks of curiosity.

"Your girlfriend?" they chorused.

"No," he replied shortly and a little uneasily. "My kouhai."

"Wow, she must really care about you then," Sana sounded hopeful.

Care about him? To a certain extent, Ren thought to himself. Was Kyouko the type to worry endlessly over anyone she knew? Or was it simply because he was her senpai? Probably because the filming might not be able to continue for 'The Black Dragon', he deduced logically. He still had several important scenes to film. With the amount of problems on his plate, that really should be the least of his worries at the moment.

He paused in the middle of his contemplations as the impact of her calling him sank in. He sucked in a breath. _She had called him. _He clenched his fists involuntarily. Just a few days ago, she had been avoiding him and all his efforts to speak to her. But she had called him to check up on him. She was worried about him. Unknowingly, Ren smiled softly and sank into the couch, completely oblivious to the looks of amusement his two companions were directing at him.

Kyouko set down the phone carefully and exhaled slowly. At least she could still speak to him normally, although truth be told, her heart was still beating a little too fast for her liking. She stared at the phone, thinking about their conversation earlier. She wasn't fooled by his cheerful tone in the least. Knowing him, he would harp over the problem for a long time and refuse to turn to anyone for help. She bit her lip. If only she could do something for him.

Something that would help him… Right now, the issue was that he had retreated into the background, refusing to affirm or deny whether those rumours were true. As a result, the rumour-mongers had added both gunpowder and fireworks to fuel the gossip further. She couldn't let that happen to him.

She rested her head on the countertop, contemplating this problem.

"The best solution…" she murmured aloud. "The truth? But if he had evidence to prove that all that was false, he would have come up with it a long time ago. In fact, all this wouldn't even hit the screens!"

She paced the length of her dressing room. "How about if he just denies it outright? Rumours only last 1 month, after all. Or so Moko had said. It may last longer, considering the fact that he's such a big star."

Kyouko walked over to the window of her room which overlooked a little garden. It was a scenic spot, with a solitary sakura tree that had lost its blooms to winter. A wooden bench was placed below it but it was hardly ever used She smiled, reaching out to touch the glass pane of her window. It looked lonely, she thought, idly tracing alphabets on the ice frosted window.

She made up her mind. But first, she needed to enlist some help to pull off her plan to perfection. Kyouko placed her hands on the window sill determinedly. It was time. She walked out of her dressing room, completely unaware that the characters she had doodled on the window still remained; His initials.

* * *

Outside the studio, Fuwa Sho paced the sidewalk impatiently. He had arrived too early. He muttered curses under his breath. 'What was he doing?' he thought furiously. Why was he being so anxious about that stupid girl? It was all her fault! Making him act in such an uncool manner. Why should he have to be the one to wait for her?

He sat down on a park bench heavily. His manager, Shoko had worn his ears off about him leaving the studio early. What use was being a pop-star if he couldn't do things his own way? He smirked to himself. They would just have to bow to him. Yes, he nodded with satisfaction. Bow to his greatness. Now with that useless Tsuruga Ren out of the picture, he would rise to the top without any obstacles. Not that Tsuruga Ren was that difficult to defeat or anything like that. He sneered at the thought.

From inside, Kyouko eyed Sho's frustrated pacing from behind a corner. He had arrived as promised. She glowered, her demons uncoiling from their resting place in response to her agitated mood. There was a time when she would have given anything to have Sho wait for her like that. But in the end, she was the one who had waited for him hand and foot.

"Kyouko-chan!" Kijima sang out as he spotted her from a distance. "Shall we leave now?"

She nodded gratefully. At least she wouldn't have to face Sho after all.

Sho, being his usual impatient self, had stomped into the studio despite the protests of staff at the reception. "Hey," he began when he saw her. "Didn't I tell you that I'd be waiting for you outside the studio? Are you deaf or something?"

She scowled. "Why wait for me? Do you think I'll be stupid enough, or gullible enough to actually believe you when you say that?"

"Hey! I keep the promises that I make!"

She stared at him in disgust at his outright lie. "You actually believe that? You're just so full of yourself."

"Kyouko-chan? Can we leave now?" Kijima asked as he stepped beside her. "Ah, a guest," he said as he noticed Sho. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Kijima Hidehito from LME. You are?"

This time, Sho mirrored Kyouko's earlier look of revulsion. How could this person NOT know who he was? "Fuwa Sho," he replied shortly. "From Akatoki."

"Nice to meet you, Fuwa-kun. Actually," he paused to consider something. "I believe I've heard of a singer with a similar sounding name before. Any relation to you?"

Shotarou stared at him in fury. "No!" he burst out angrily. "I'm...!"

"Oh, no relation of yours? I see, sorry about that," Kijima continued carelessly. "No offense meant Fuwa-kun. I thought you were the other guy for a moment since you mentioned Akatoki."

"But...!" Sho spluttered.

"Of course, I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions just like that. Anyway, could you excuse us? Kyouko-chan and I are going out for dinner now. See you around, Fuwa-kun." He wrapped an arm familiarly around her shoulders and guided her towards the exit where a car was waiting.

"K'so!" Sho cursed loudly, raising censorious glares from the people around him. "I hate LME!"

* * *

"Kijima-san! That was..." she burst into helpless laughter when they were safely behind the closed doors of the car. She could still picture Sho's comical look of annoyance when he realized that Kijima didn't even recognize him. "So funny..." she managed between giggles. "Did you really not recognize him?"

"Actually, I did recognize him. I overheard a small part of your conversation by accident and thought to intervene for your sake." He grinned at her. "So what did Fuwa-kun want with you earlier?" he asked her as casually as he could manage.

"Can't be anything good," she replied darkly. "I don't know what he wanted."

"I heard over the news that you are his childhood friend?"

Kyouko stiffened. "Yes, but as you can see, we are now in two completely different industries and I really have nothing in common with people like him."

"I see," he said slowly. "That's good then. I'd really hate to acquire a new rival."

"Rival? For what?" she clasped her hands together as the answer came to her immediately. "You're planning on going into singing? That's just fantastic! Kijima-san, you are truly multi-talented!"

He stared at her in disbelief. It seemed that he would need to be completely direct and frank with her in order for her to believe him.

* * *

Elsewhere, Fuwa Sho roamed the streets of Tokyo, not bothering to take in the amber and indigo that streaked across the sky, marking the end of another day. He clenched and unclenched his fists furiously. Finally, he ended up at a familiar looking apartment, one that he always went to when he was in a bad mood. Biting back a sigh, he fished into his pocket for the keys.

Opening the door and snapping it shut, he glanced around, wondering where she was. It wasn't like his manager to return home so late. He trotted to the fridge and removed a can of beer. At least, at times like these, one could always rely on the numbing effects of alcohol. With a grim smile, he recalled how that man had made a fool out of him, in front of Kyouko, no less! He snapped the pin on the can in his anger. Staring at the innocent pin that now lay useless on the floor, he muttered an eloquent curse. He hated it when that happened.

Grabbing a can opener from the kitchen, he stabbed the lid and tried to pry it open forcefully.

"Sho! What on earth are you doing?"

"What..." he grunted with the effort. "Does it look like to you?"

His manager stood at the entrance with her hands on her slim hips, glowering at him. Trust Sho to run to her whenever he was having a bad day. It wasn't like she had a wonderful day either, after having to explain and apologize profusely to all the staff who were waiting for him because he had run off without any notice. She massaged her temples wearily.

"Just get another can from the fridge, will you? You're spilling beer all over the place."

He glanced up, mangled can in hand. "Fine," he muttered and retrieved a new can.

She raised her eyebrows. He wasn't going to argue with her? That was a surprise. His problems were obviously bigger than she had thought.

"Ne, Shoko-san," he began, a little uncertainly. "Why did you become my manager?"

She blinked and stared at him. He raised the can to his lips and took a large swig. "I mean, you could have chosen anyone. Why me?"

The manager smiled a little. "Because you have talent."

"Is talent really enough to make it to the top?"

"Why are you so pessimistic? This isn't like you. What happened today?"

He leaned back on the sofa and began playing with the ruffles on her pillows. "I went to see Kyouko-chan today."

"And?"

"She was with another actor, even though I told her that I'd wait for her after she was done."

She gaped at him in amazement. Sho waited for Kyouko? Now, that was definitely a first. What happened to her being nothing but his maid? She held her tongue, waiting for him to continue.

"It's like I don't _know_ her anymore. She's not the same person I once knew. I thought that of all the people around me, she would remain the same, unchangeable, willing to stay by my side forever and support me no matter what I did or said. Things weren't supposed to turn out this way."

"Is this about what happened to Tsuruga Ren by any chance?" the manager asked with narrowed eyes.

"Ah, yeah. I went to see her just when some annoying reporter was harassing her. I mean," he scowled a little. "I don't give a damn about what happens to that guy, but these kinds of rumours could be linked to her somehow and I don't want that to happen."

'That was surprisingly...nice of him,' Shoko thought to herself. Fuwa Sho being thoughtful of others?

"So tell me," he raised suddenly vulnerable eyes to her widened ones. "Is talent really enough to make it to the top?"

Shoko held back a nervous shudder. Talent came in many forms. Many would be wasted over time if not cultivated appropriately and nurtured to that final peak of success. With her pride as a manager, she always had the ability to identify the ones with real talent, the ones who worked themselves to the bone for talent they would never have and lastly, the slackers with talent but no drive to succeed. The Fuwa Sho she was looking at now was quickly degenerating into that last category, quite willingly it seemed.

"Didn't you say that you brought her to Tokyo to be your maid?" she was purposely flippant. She had to wake the boy up before he slipped into the ravine far beyond her reach.

"Yes, but..." he hesitated. "She's changing every day, becoming more and more different and I'm afraid that our differences will push us apart. She belongs to me, after all."

This was what she had been worrying about all along. He was being tied down by that invisible thread that tied his fates to her and he was completely unwilling to sever that thread, desiring instead to wind it around his little finger and tug on it occasionally, just to see if she would follow and dance to his tune. A possessive and demanding nature, she noted with wry amusement.

She sobered quickly. This also meant that he would hold himself back, if for her sake. As long as she meandered at the sidelines, he too would be willing to do so, no matter how adamantly he would argue otherwise if she accused him of that. Personally, she doubted that Kyouko-chan would actually do that, but it just goes to show how much he was willing to sacrifice for her sake.

It was love, a very selfish love, but love nonetheless.

* * *

_**Blacktohru: **__(Tucks into a quart tub of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream) Do check out my other story entitled 'Love Is'. It's a series of WAFFy oneshots which I wrote when 'The Yashiro Conspiracy' just refused to be written, so some of the characters may be a little OOC. It's currently rated 'T' but I may have to upgrade it to 'M' eventually. Oh, and don't forget to read Chapters 5-7 again. _

**A list of translated Japanese phrases:**

aa – "yeah"

ara – "oh my"

arigatou – "thank you"

irrashai – "welcome"

maa, maa - "easy now," "there there,"

un - "yeah" or "uh-huh"

kakkowarui – "uncool"

k'so – "damn"

Ba-chan – shortened and familiar form of 'Oba-san' i.e. "grandmother"


	12. Chapter 10: Calm Before The Storm

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru: **__I finally updated! Woot! I'm waayyy behind on thanking everyone for their patience and for reviewing even though this update took a long time. So for those who reviewed the last chapter, here goes:_

_15385bic: I'm quite obviously a Ren lover, ain't I! But I'm still trying to portray Sho in greater depth; something really difficult to do since I didn't like him from the start! As for Kijima, he's the ultimate playboy, even more so than Sho. ^^_

_LadySilverhawk: I'm glad you're still following this story! Reino's got ESP. I may fit in some explanation on that, but maybe not. This story is getting a little TOO long! I can't wait for the next chap of Scandalous! Oh, btw, I actually bought one of Lisa Keyplas' books. XD_

_SakuraTaichou: Isn't Kyouko scarily dense sometimes? But I can't say much for Sho either. IMO, he's a dog in the manger. The love that she gave him so freely, he brushed off so carelessly. Perhaps she captured Sho's interest since she's in the entertainment industry, which leads me to think that Sho's pretty shallow to judge her by her looks (i.e. her performance as the angel in his PV). Things are definitely going to heat up, especially in the coming chapter! _

_J Luc Pitard: Everything is coming together at last! I'm glad things are to your liking. ^^ Sho's behaviour may be a little off track, probably due to my dislike for him. Due to that, I've always been portraying him in a very bad light. T_T I know I should treat them equally but it's really difficult sometimes! Hopefully, I'll be able to write about him in a more humane manner in the coming chapters. _

_Pheecat: Hurray! Someone who agrees with me! Sho's such an idiot, isn't he? While it isn't very 'healthy' for me to lean so heavily towards one direction, writing Sho as the perfect gentleman just doesn't seem right either! For now, I will try my best to keep all the characters in character. As for Kyouko's feelings for Ren/Corn, you'll just have to read on! _

_Le candyknights: Throw aside your homework in favour of fanfiction? Sounds familiar! I do that far too often... lol! I'm so glad that you like it! While I'm not too sure whether I can indeed make the world a better place with this story, I hope that I at least made your day with this update! _

_Stupid thing: I think one of Kyouko's interesting traits is that she would really give it her all when it comes to something (or someone) she cares about. Good kitchen equipment? ^^ Expect a 'different' type of visit from his kouhai. It's in this chapter! Read on!_

_Flaming-amber: Ren+disguise. Somehow I doubt he'd have many problems! That is, if he were his normal self, of course. ^^ The 'actor on the run' will be making a comeback in the next chapter! _

_LavenderSkies: I thought Sho needed more 'air time'. But he still came across as being rather selfish, much to my dismay. T_T Should I be kinder to him? What do you think? _

_NeVerChanged: I'm so glad you liked it! Sho's actually rather difficult to portray properly and I've been putting it off for far too long! He'd definitely try to win back her affections, but is he too late? Was the damage he dealt in the past permanent? ^^ _

_Steph300, Fallentenshi13, FateLowe, Kay, Purropolisprincess, Eri, mangaka-sensi, reko1620, stice73, Tensai25, Lala-tan, Devillishduck, Ishasuki Mitochi, EL: Thanks for reviewing! Things are moving along more quickly now, so I hope you'll enjoy this update!

* * *

  
_

**Chapter 10 – Calm Before the Storm**

Kyouko tapped her pen against the sheaf of papers on her table. Pondering over the list she had made out, she absently scribbled a few more words.

"This should do," she muttered to herself. "No promises broken."

Picking up a large envelope, she slid the whole stack of papers in and bit her lip in derision. This was the correct thing to do, right? Glaring at the innocent brown envelope, she grumbled under her breath. She'd already decided to do this. Why was she still having last-minute reservations?

'Why don't you just call him and let him know you're sending the package? Coward!' her conscience whispered.

True. She clenched her eyes in frustration.

'You'll have to talk to him sometime.'

She did call him earlier. Or at least, she had tried to. He was busy.

'You can always try calling him again. He should be free by now.'

Better later than earlier. At least she'd have time to sort out her feelings.

'Sort out your feelings? You mean you're still confused?'

Yes, unfortunately. The man was far too potent for words.

She stopped and flinched at the thought. That wasn't right. She respected him. He was her senpai. She just didn't know how to talk to him properly anymore.

"Whatever the case, I don't want to break my promise to him or Yashiro-san. So this will just have to do!" she said forcefully.

Penning out his name and crossing the T with a flourish, she sealed the envelope tightly. She hesitated for a moment and held the package tightly in her arms. Was it too much to hope that everything would return to normal with Tsuruga-san's return? She gritted her teeth forcefully. It would. It _definitely _would. She would await his return patiently.

'But in the meantime', she lifted the package to her eye level. 'There are other ways I can support him.'

She would have to send it through the President.

* * *

"Package for you, Kyou-san," the delivery boy called out.

"Ah, thank you," he accepted the rather heavy envelope wondering who had sent it. No one was supposed to know of his location, except the President of course.

He turned it carefully, but found no indication whatsoever of the sender. Perhaps it was from one of the directors. Unlikely, he frowned. A package from a fan wouldn't be delivered straight to him either. Someone from LME then? He ripped open the courier packaging and removed the thick envelope inside.

He glanced at the handwriting, studying the way his name was written. Somehow the handwriting seemed familiar…

Flipping it over, he stared at the thick layer of dried glue that had oozed out at the sides of the seal. Well, apparently someone wanted to ensure that the contents remained intact in the envelope.

He glanced up at the delivery boy who seemed just as curious. "Do you happen to have a letter opener?"

He nodded bemusedly. "Yes, though you may need a blade instead," he replied, handing him one.

He smiled, accepting the blade and sawing gently through the thick layer, careful not to damage the contents. Slipping it open, he glanced in and held his breath.

'Kyouko…'

Returning the blade to the boy with a smile and a gracious "Thank you", he strode off to his apartment, clutching the envelope protectively. When he reached his room, he painstakingly slid the sheaf of papers onto his desk.

"Recipes," he breathed. Detailed lists of ingredients and descriptions of each dish were meticulously written out in her scholarly writing, complete with the brand of each ingredient, the size of the pot he had to use and there was even a picture of each dish. He sorted through the whole pile and finally rested his chin in the palm of one hand. Laughing a little to himself, he allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he read her note.

_I hope you will try out these recipes on your own. I've written out all that you need so you shouldn't have any problems. It may seem like a lot at the moment, but just try out at least one for now. _

"Well, Kyouko-sensei. You think I'm good enough to fly solo now?" he mused aloud.

Sobering a little, he read the note again. There was no mention of the problems he was facing or any words of encouragement. She was simply supporting him in her own way.

It was a start. A small one. An effort to make things right again. He couldn't douse that tiny flare of hope that had sprung in his chest.

* * *

Rubbing his hands together, Ren considered the items set out before him. It would be his first solo cooking attempt. Well, not precisely, he amended wryly. He had tried cooking before on his own, but since it took him close to three hours just to prepare everything at that time, it was almost close to midnight by the time he had finished cooking his dinner. It was just too troublesome.

Anyhow, he was living on his own now and he would somehow learn how to cook! Japanese food shouldn't be too troublesome, or so he had thought. For the life of him, he just couldn't figure out why there was so much preparation that went into making sushi. Perhaps that was why Kyouko-chan had insisted on him learning how to make simple stews first.

Well, it's not like he had perfected the art of making stews yet. But he decided that since he had time on his hands now, why not be adventurous? He had gone shopping earlier for all the ingredients he needed. And now they sat quite innocently on his kitchen counter top mocking him.

Pushing his shirt sleeves back firmly, he glanced at the recipe book he had set on his table for reference.

"Cook rice," he read aloud. Well, that should be simple enough. There weren't many chores his mother would allow whenever he stepped into the kitchen. Only after he'd managed to burn the rice (since he hadn't known that rice needed to be cooked in water), his mother completely banned him from the kitchen.

"Okay, now that's done. Place washed rice in rice cooker with double the volume of cold water. Should have told me that ten years ago," he grunted.

Glancing at his recipe book, he noted that he was supposed to add in mirin, some sugar and a dash of salt. Dumping everything in without ceremony, he closed the lid with a satisfying click.

"Now that's done, I guess I should prepare the other ingredients?" he wondered as he walked over to the refrigerator. It was still mostly empty and held the bare necessities a bachelor like himself would require, which meant beer, a litre of milk, butter, cheese, a loaf of bread and some marmalade.

He recalled with a slight smile on his face, Kyouko's reaction to his fridge in his apartment.

"_It's EMPTY! How could you possibly live on this?" she all but yelled. _

"_I don't cook that often, and the only time I eat at home is for breakfast. Sometimes, I don't bother with that either. It all depends on my timing," he explained as patiently as possible._

"_Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," she countered. "At least get some cereal and milk in you. How can your stomach last until the afternoon?" _

Oh, that was the one thing that he had forgotten to buy. Cereal. He shrugged. Perhaps on his next shopping trip. Allowing his mind to wander again, he cracked a grin at Kyouko's frustrations towards his eating habits. It was a rather satisfying, yet guilty feeling, he thought. Tricking her into teaching him how to cook? It was downright wrong, but he couldn't help but look forward to their little sessions together. The only time he could spend with her outside of work.

It was during those times Kyouko would regale him with little stories of what she faced at work, the ridiculous antics of her co-stars and interspersed with her delightful rambles about her beloved Moko-san.

"_Moko-san's just gotten yet another offer for a drama! Isn't that the best!" she clasped her hands together joyfully. _

"_Yes, yes," he agreed, grinning at her exuberance. "One would think that it was you who got that offer instead."_

"_You should really see her acting skills, Tsuruga-san!" _

"_I've heard about her skills from the President," he remarked. He couldn't help but be slightly envious of Kotonami. Kyouko's absolute, unwavering loyalty towards her best friend was endearing to behold. _

Of course, he could always bring her out anytime he wanted to without leaning on the excuse of being senpai and kouhai. Somehow he never got around to doing that. No, he leaned his hands on the counter heavily. It was more like he had never allowed himself to even consider such a thing.

The tall man sighed. All that was behind him now though. If he couldn't figure out how to solve his current problem, he couldn't possibly consider being with her anymore. Not if it would cause her downfall. There was just no way he would do that. Not to someone that he loved.

For now, all he could do was sit on his hands and wait. It was frustrating, but he really couldn't see any other solution. He grunted with disapproval. It wasn't like him to patiently wait for the verdict to be delivered.

Removing a plate of raw salmon and tuna from the fridge, Ren gently squeezed a few drops of lemon juice over it to prevent it from turning bad. Or so the recipe had strictly instructed. At least if he got food poisoning from his own cooking, he didn't have to worry about not making it to work the following day.

He unpacked a couple of cucumbers and sliced them according to the pictures shown. There were even some diagrams and pictures included, he mused. His sensei was very detailed. Next, he opened a can of tuna and added in some finely chopped shallots.

Finely chopped shallots, he thought to himself with amusement. He had kind of overdone the chopping since he was completely distracted. It had turned into shallot paste of some sort. The can of tuna was a large one, but he could always make some sandwiches or turn it into another snack of some sort.

Again, that was Kyouko's idea, he thought a little whimsically. He had always thrown out any excess food since it was bound to go bad anyway, his eating habits being so sporadic. But she had lectured him on not wasting any food.

Well, now all that was done, there was nothing to do but to wait for the rice to cook. Strangely, he was rather hungry. Perhaps he could dig into that tuna. Snatching up a packet of crackers and cheese from the fridge, he arranged the crackers on a wide plate. He couldn't really be bothered about cutting the cheese into those neat little squares that Kyouko had managed, so he just tore them into quarters and placed them on top of the crackers. He popped it into the microwave for twenty seconds, scooped tuna on top and digged in.

"A little mayonnaise would be nice," he thought as he absently munched on the snack.

"Okay, now that all the other preparations are complete and the rice is done, what else?" Ren ran a finger along as he read the lines of the recipe.

'Fold rice with a wooden spoon and allow to cool slightly.'

He followed it to the letter, carefully manoeuvring the spoon so as not to smash the rice together. He didn't want to make rice paste.

Staring at the huge bowl of rice in front of him, Ren frowned. Perhaps he had overdone it after all. Now he was supposed to place the ingredients onto a piece of nori and roll them together. He smiled to himself. If he wasn't this free, he would have just dumped the rice into a bowl and the salmon and tuna on top. Perhaps, he might have even sprinkled some seaweed on top to decorate it. But no, he was supposed to learn how to make sushi.

* * *

"Kyou-san? Kyou-san!"

He pricked up an ear at the sound of Sana's grandmother's voice and the tentative sound of soft knocking at his door. Ba-chan's voice, he amended with a smile. It had been a long time since someone had treated him normally. Ren strode over to the door to let the wizened old lady in.

"Kyou-san, have you had your dinner yet?"

"Uhm, yes, actually I just made dinner." Ren gestured for her to take a seat at his sofa.

Beaming up at him, she replied, "In that case, come over for dinner tomorrow. I'll prepare something special for you."

"You really don't have to…"

"I insist!" she patted his hands. "Young people shouldn't be so reserved. Plus, you look like you haven't been getting enough nutrition. It's not healthy, you know."

Ren hid a smile at her words. It was strange to only realize it now when he was away from the people whom he cared for. People _cared_ for him. Yashiro was forever trying to get him to eat properly. Even the President had complained about his small appetite.

"_Ren," he glowered at him. "You do not eat enough!" _

_At that time, all he could do was stare blankly at the President. After making him rush to the LME office whilst he was in the middle of a shoot for an 'important' meeting, this was what it was for? Ren resisted the urge to curl his fingers around the President's neck and squeeze hard. _

"_You don't have to look at me like that, Ren. If you don't take care of your body now, the effects will begin to show once you hit a certain age." _

"_Your age, you mean?"_

"_Yes," he huffed. "My age. I'm not asking you to follow Kuu's gluttony. That is an excellent example of eating habits not to follow."_

Kuu. He wondered briefly what his father would think if he saw him now. Torn from the entertainment industry because of his past? Would he think that he was running away from his problems? Ren closed his eyes briefly, refusing to entertain that thought.

She eyed him curiously, noting his suddenly worried expression. "Kyou-san?"

Ren snapped back to the present. "Yes?"

"Come over slightly earlier tomorrow, say around 6 o'clock? Preparations must be made," she rested her weight on the sofa to push herself up.

Standing swiftly to assist her, Ren stretched out a hand, allowing her to lean on him.

"Thank you, Kyou-san. I must be getting home now. Bring an appetite tomorrow, alright?"

He nodded. "I'll assist you to your apartment."

"There's really no need," she chuckled. "I may be old, but I'm not that weak! It's just next door."

Ren was adamant. "It's the least I could do."

She laughed quietly as he guided her carefully along the corridors to her apartment. "Your parents must have brought you up well. Such a polite young man. I'll see you tomorrow, Kyou-san."

* * *

6 o'clock the following day saw Ren standing in front of his neighbour's apartment with a small spray of daffodils. Being invited over for dinner to a neighbour's house was a first for him. He raised his fist to knock but the door opened before him.

"Kyou-san! Right on time. Come in, come in," she smiled at him.

"These are for you," Ren returned her smile and gave her the flowers.

Her smile grew. "How lovely! I have the perfect vase for it!" She took a moment to grin at him. "Did you know, in _hanakotoba_, daffodils mean respect? I believe that when choosing flowers, we should be very selective and understand the meaning behind each flower. You wouldn't want to give the wrong impression. But your choice is a lovely one. Thank you."

Guiding him over to a living room, she gestured for him to sit. "Dinner will be ready in a little while, so please wait a moment."

"Thank you." Ren folded his long legs beneath him and sat at the table. The apartment, while having the exact some layout as the one he had rented, was decorated with framed paintings and photographs which seemed to line just about every space available.

"My children, grandchildren and great grandchildren," she explained. "Family, to me, is so very precious. But nowadays everyone is just so busy with their lives, having little time to visit this old woman. But that's the way it is now, isn't it? In this modern world, without that focus, that indomitable will, one wouldn't be able to succeed." She shook her head a little sadly. "Tell me, Kyou-san. Do you believe in fate?"

"Uhm…."

She raised her eyes to his as she traced the gnarled texture of the table in front of her. "It is easy to listen to the sound of raindrops pattering outside our window, but to know that each and every drop has a meaning, that each drop has a purpose," she paused and raised a finger skywards. "Every raindrop doesn't just fall in a certain place by chance. It falls exactly where it is supposed to. Destiny meets another destiny and it all merges into an even greater providence. Like how those raindrops form puddles, streams, rivers and they all eventually flow into the sea. That's what we call 'fate'." She smiled, her lined face wrinkling up even further.

Ren heaved a mental sigh. 'Fate' was such a simple way of dealing with the situation. It was nothing more than a coward's excuse. It was definitely something he would have scoffed at in the past. He took a moment to study the calm and friendly expression of the minute lady sitting opposite him. He pushed the judgmental voice aside. He was Tsuruga Ren, not Hizuri Kuon. And at that moment, he was just Kyou.

"No, I can't say I believe in fate," he replied as truthfully as he could. "Are we really nothing more than puppets with someone pulling the strings from up above? I believe that the future is ever changeable which is why our actions today will mould the creation of tomorrow."

"Ah, you have a logical mind. Perhaps this thread of thought could interest you instead?"

He raised his brows at her inquisitively.

"There's a school of thought that believes that there are four obstacles in life. The first obstacle that we face is the belief that everything we dream of doing is impossible. Place yourself in the shoes of a six year old. As that young boy grows up and is introduced to the many facets of negative energy in this world, hatred, prejudice, guilt, fear and the like, is it no wonder that that very boy would grow up somewhat jaded and cynical?"

Ren breathed heavily. All her words seemed to ring a little too true for comfort.

"Perhaps he somehow managed to overcome his first obstacle. He will then have to face his next: love. How is love an obstacle, you may ask? The dreams and goals that that boy has crafted and moulded is not an easy task to undertake. But can he abandon all that if he knows that it will hurt the one that he loves?" she reached out to pat the actor's hands. "What would you do?"

"I...I'm not sure," he admitted. "It's not an easy choice to make."

"No it isn't. Which is why you should understand that if the girl you love truly loves you in return, she would want you to be happy and she would be prepared to support and accompany you all the way." She smiled at him. "Now, reflect a little on that girl you love. What do you think she would do? No, you don't have to answer that. It was a rhetorical question. But from the smile on your face, I already know the answer," she chuckled.

Ren nodded wryly. Kyouko. His Kyouko, he thought fondly.

"The next obstacle is one that we all have: fear of defeat. Imagine, all the hopes and dreams you have invested in that goal, all to naught. Have you truly fought for it? Have you risked tooth and nail to achieve it? To what extent will you be willing to go to for it? If that dream was truly one that you fought for, then, you will not be able to brush it aside so easily if things do not work out the way you wanted it to. But is defeat inevitable? Perhaps. But most importantly, for every nine times we fall down, we must pick ourselves up ten times. Each defeat carries a lesson to be learnt, however much we dislike it. But doesn't that make success all the sweeter?

"Lastly, and most controversially: the fear of realizing our dreams. Have you ever been filled with intense guilt at the mere possibility of getting what you want? Imagine the millions of people around you who have fought so hard for their own dreams but never coming close to achieving them. Would you forget all the suffering, the trials and tribulations that you endured in your journey? Would you renounce your success simply because you feel that it is the right thing to do?"

The old lady smiled softly at Ren. "Not all these concepts are easy to grasp at this moment, so not to worry. But the burdens you carry upon your shoulders, such weight shouldn't be borne by you alone. There are many who care about you, only if you let them."

Ren started at her words. It was true, he reflected inwardly. During his stint in Osaka, the President had called him just about every day, demanding to know his whereabouts and his general wellbeing. Yashiro too had voiced his worries for his charge.

"_Ren, you can't shut yourself away like this," his manager had begun awkwardly. "In the first place, that would be equivalent to admitting to all those rumours that are spreading now. Your career..."_

"_Is in shreds," he replied coldly. "You should talk with Takarada-san about getting a new job. I'm sure your qualification as an exceptional manager precedes you."_

"_Ren! Don't say such things! I'm sure the President will find a solution. Plus, aren't rumours and gossip-mongers part and parcel of the entertainment world? We'll just deal with it."_

"_Yashiro-san, we can't 'just deal with it'. This is it. The end of my career."_

_Yashiro frowned in consternation. "I understand how you must be feeling now, but we will definitely find a way. So in the meantime, keep your bags packed."_

Later, he found out from Lory that his loyal manager had insisted on joining Ren in Osaka as well and the two of them had nearly come to blows about it.

Even his young kouhai had made her worries known and unbeknownst to her, each message she sent had become something he looked forward to. It seemed that she had finally learnt how to use her handphone to send messages. His lips curved upwards at the thought. He knew she was intensely busy with her numerous jobs, but he couldn't find it in himself to tell her to stop. While her messages would be short and simple, occasionally regaling him of her progress at school or work or merely to remind him to eat proper meals, he could still detect that undertone of worry. Her last call to him had been sufficient evidence of that.

"_Ne, Tsuruga-san, did you receive my letter?" _

"_Ah, yes. I did try out your sushi recipe," he replied with a smile, recalling how detailed her instructions were. _

"_That's great! How did it turn out? I thought to reduce the portions, knowing how small your appetite is." _

"_You know me too well," he replied. "It actually turned out pretty well considering my hopelessness in the kitchen."_

"_You shouldn't say such things!" she responded with a short laugh. "Perhaps next time you will exceed my abilities in the kitchen. Oh! Why don't you do the cooking during our next cooking session? That way, I'll be able to judge how far along you've gotten and adjust the 'cooking level' accordingly."_

"'_Cooking level?' What on earth is that?"" he chuckled. _

"_Well, right now, I'm teaching you all the easy dishes. Anything more complicated would involve longer preparation and possibly longer cooking time."_

"_In that case, you needn't worry. Keep it as easy and simple as possible. I don't have much faith in my cooking skills, and I doubt you'd want to eat my cooking. For now, I'm trying to work on the excuse that even if I mess up in the kitchen, the only person who'd get food poisoning would be myself."_

"_That's not fair, Tsuruga-san! As your sensei, I insist! When you come back..." she hesitated for a moment, chewing on her lower lip anxiously. "Tsuruga-san?"_

"_Mogami-san?"_

"_You will be coming back...right?"_

_At that moment, he could just picture her leaning forward in anticipation, hope shining in her lovely brown eyes. He had hated himself for it, but he didn't want to get her hopes up unnecessarily. _

"_It's good to know that at least one person looks forward to my return," he replied nonchalantly. _

"_But..."_

"_Mogami-san, as much as I'd like to continue our conversation, have you noticed what time it is?" he asked her sternly. _

"_Uhm, just past midnight?" Kyouko bit her lip. She hadn't realized it was so late. _

_Over the phone line, she could hear him sigh heavily. "As an actress, you should really be more diligent about these kinds of things. Your health, above all, should take precedence. That includes getting sufficient sleep."_

_She smiled, almost thankful to hear him scold her. It made things seem somewhat normal. "Yes, Tsuruga-san. I understand. I'll call you tomorrow then?"_

"_Only if it's not too late. Oyasumi, Mogami-san."_

"_Oyasuminasai, Tsuruga-san."_

"_One more thing before you go," he paused._

"_Yes?"_

"_Thank you for calling."_

Ren rested his elbows on the table heavily. It was true. They cared for him. It was a strangely exhilarating feeling. He gave the old lady sitting opposite him a genuine smile. "You're right. They do care a great deal for me. But..."

"You do them great injustice by simply thinking that there's no way to solve your problems. But the solution is what you already have. Go home, Tsuruga-kun. There are many who are awaiting your return, including that girl you care for so deeply."

Ren blinked at her, still uncertain, unable to believe what she was telling him. "You know who I am?"

"I had my suspicions, but there's no mistaking that smile of yours. I see it every day in my granddaughter's bedroom. She's got posters of you covering every inch of her bedroom walls that it's a wonder she hasn't put any on the ceiling as yet."

"You must be wondering what on earth I am doing, staying here in Osaka and allowing my reputation to be torn to shreds." His eyes were downcast.

"On the contrary, I think that was actually a wise move. You have come a long way from who you were in the past." With twinkling eyes, she remarked, "I definitely preferred your Katsuki over your father's." And with that enigmatic remark, she stood and gestured for him to rise as well. "Are you hungry? It's just about dinner time."

Nodding to herself as she guided her bewildered guest to the dining room, she made a mental note to call the President of LME to inform him of the events that had come to pass. Somehow the fates had seen it fit to send the young man to her and she had played her part. Now everything would rest on those young shoulders.

* * *

_**Blacktohru: **__'Hanakotoba' means flower language. I actually couldn't decide on what type of flower would be appropriate as a gift when attending such a function. Giving flowers just isn't inherent in my culture! Well, except for roses on Valentine's Day I suppose. Perhaps someone could advice me here?_

_Oh, and I was just wondering, how many writers out there just tear their hair out trying to come up with not only titles for their work but chapter titles as well? I rarely get lucky with titles, leaving it to the absolute last. T_T And then I start wondering, how many people actually notice chapter titles? ^^ _

_The Osaka arc will end with Chapter 11 entitled 'Here To Stay'. Look out for it! (Yes, since the title has already been written, it does mean that the draft is mostly complete, but I'm still working on it) I do think The Yashiro Conspiracy is getting a little too long for my liking… (hides behind the bushes). I'll try to end it as soon as I can. _

_**Updates: **_

_Skip Beat - Love Is… Chapters 4, 5 and 6 are up!  
_


	13. Chapter 11: Here To Stay

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru:**__ This one goes out to Runadaemon, my fabulous beta-reader! Your efforts and insightful input are truly indispensable. Thank you so much! _

_To my loyal reader__s, thank you for your patience. _

_Lala-tan: Ooo, definitely another Ren supporter here! Ba-chan's sweet isn't she? ^^ Her identity shall be revealed in this chapter. And as for Beagle Reino, perhaps you shall see more of him in 'Love Is'!_

_Lady of the Hunt: Thank you for reading and reviewing! I look forward (as always) to more of your fantastic 'Scandalous'!_

_Scorpio moon: Glad you're enjoying it so far! Well, I think there will be another 3 chapters (at least!) to go to wrap up TYC! _

_Devillishduck: Yes, I can finally see an ending! I still find it a little hard to believe TYC started off as a oneshot. (stares into the distant past) _

_Le candyknights: __I hope this chapter will please you! Not quite the ending yet, although the chapter title does seem to imply as such. ^^ _

_Fate Lowe: Thanks for supporting me thus far! Hope this chappie satisfies you!_

_Ishasuki Mitochi: Ishasuki-hime! Ba-chan's secret identity will be revealed in this chapter. Heh. I've always wanted to say that. ^^ I'm glad that I've managed to k__eep everyone in character. But that may change with the next chapter as the plot thickens! (laughs) A little spoiler for you! _

_LavenderSkies: Yes, Ba-chan is indeed someone 'pretty darn close'! (grins evilly) Ren's relationship with Kuu is still a secret (in the manga as well as in this fic). Looks like you don't like Sho all that much either! I'll be kinder, just a teeny bit kinder. Lol! _

_Stice73: Glad that you liked it! Unfortunately, (or fortunately for you?) it's going to get even longer… for now. _

_J Luc Pitard: As always, your comments always hit the nail on the head! TYC's development is indeed slow. My initial plan to follow the progress of the manga didn't quite work out the way I wanted it to since there are so many arcs. But the pace is picking up, or at least it will, with this chapter and the next few! Thanks for reviewing!_

_Serilia: I did consider the possibility of your idea! ^___^ But, I'm not going to spoil this chapter for you now! Glad you're liking it so far! _

_Pheecat: Ba-chan's great, isn't she! Oh, she does know Lory. (grins) Read on to find out! Oh, are there any good Kyou Kara Maou fanfics out there? I've been so fixated on Skip Beat and RK fics recently! _

_Mysweetkat: __Thanks for reviewing! There's quite a number of good SB fanfic writers there. Just browse around, I'm sure you'll find them. Yay! Another Ren x Kyouko fan! I'm happy that you're enjoying this fic! _

_Purropolisprincess__: Thank you! I hope that you will enjoy this chapter as much as the rest!_

_Stupid thing: Baking cookies? What type!? (drools) I have this insane craving for double chocolate chip cookies now! Oh, and white chocolate macadamia cookies… sighs… lol! Are you good with cakes and other desserts as well? I should really take lessons from you! Enjoy this chappie!_

_Keoi: Glad I made your day! Gobble Gobble Day? O.o Wow… that's a fantastic sounding name! What kind of day is that? Hope you'll like this chapter too!_

_Ashe16: Thanks for the review! Life-like characters, eh? (sighs with relief) I'm so glad you think so! _

_Moons-chan: I think that Kyouko's view on love has a lot to do with the way she was brought up and the circumstances that led to her hatred for Sho. As a result of her not wanting anything to do with that misbegotten emotion also known as 'love', she misconstrues it as 'respect'. Thanks for reviewing and enjoy this chap!_

_Ecki: Thanks for the translation! I do believe I replied you personally, but just in case I forgot… ^__^ In some strange way, I do feel that 'tranquility' does describe Tsuruga Ren quite appropriately. Not so for Kuon perhaps. _

_Strawrawbeby__: Thanks for reviewing! Perhaps you may see just that in the coming chapters, so stay tuned! _

_Squishysocks__: Hope this chapter will appeal to you as much as the rest! Enjoy and thanks for the lovely review!_

_Dolphinz: Merci beaucoup for the lovely reviews! Lol! That's about all the French that I know! Glad that you enjoyed that little philosophical take on life. __J'espère que vous apprécierez ce chapitre! Or: I hope you will enjoy this chapter! (Is that correct? I'm not sure! Do let me know!)_

_And last but not least, La Jazz: Gosh! I love your incredibly long reviews! Very insightful and I'll definitely take into consideration all the ideas that you brought up i.e. the other pairing you were talking about? Sounds like a plan! But I'm working on a oneshot for Beagle Reino for the time being (which may or may not be included in 'Love Is' since it has grown into something resembling a multi-chaptered story T_T). I'm glad that __**The Black Dragon**__ appeals to you so much! Another movie chapter is definitely in the works, so you needn't worry. Oh, and thank you so much for pointing out all your favourite lines! (hugs!) And in every chapter too! (dances around madly) You, my dear, have just made my day! This short note doesn't really suffice so I will send you a longer email k! In the meantime, enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 11 – Here to Stay**

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* * *

_**^^One week later^^

* * *

  
**

"We're standing outside the residence of His Majesty..." the reporter winked at the camera, "Takarada Lory, President of LME! Now, with all the rumours that have been circulating throughout the news recently about LME's hottest, most seen and least rumoured about star, Tsuruga Ren, LME hasn't been faring too well. But! There's a hot new rumour that there will be a surprise guest tonight. Who could it possibly be? Stick with us to find out!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kyouko rushed around, making sure everything was in place. Only one more hour before the doors opened! Everything had to be perfect before then! The food was prepared. The President had insisted on her leaving it completely up to the kitchen staff this round, to keep her from running back and forth between the party and the kitchen as she did for the Grateful Party. So she had a list of standing instructions and a contingency plan, should anything go wrong.

"Kyouko-san!" the President boomed, halting her in her tracks.

"Hai! I just need to make sure everything is ready!"

"Kyouko-san, there is only one more hour left and you haven't even changed yet." Lory remarked wryly. "Go get dressed and get your make-up done. Maria is waiting for you upstairs. Leave the preparations to my staff."

"But I need to make sure…"

"Kyouko-san…." Lory patted her head and started steering her away from the kitchen entrance. "You've done amazing things and unknowingly helped a lot of people, even me. Now, this is your moment! So go and get changed! I'll handle everything here."

Before she could reply, a voice called out to her. "Nee-san! Nee-san!" Maria rushed towards her and began pulling her in the direction of her room. "You're late! We need to get ready!"

* * *

The party was just beginning as she descended the staircase carefully. White ribbons and roses were wrapped along the banister and she allowed her hand to slide along as she walked. Outside, she could hear the sound of horse hooves. She smiled to herself. It had been her idea to not allow any cars to drive into the compound. When each guest arrived, they would ride on a horse-drawn carriage decked out in white with an ornamental silver frame. She fervently hoped that she would have a chance to ride in it later.

Kyouko had outdone herself, pushing herself far beyond what she had prepared for Maria's birthday party. For this party, she had selected a Christmas theme and with the President's assistance, she had transformed his grand hall into an everglade. Soft white and beige carpet lined the floor and little evergreen trees dotted the landscape with winking white lights wound around them. But the centrepiece which grabbed everyone's attention was the huge white Christmas tree which she and Moko-san had painstakingly decorated with red, blue and silver glass globes that reflected the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. While everything was indoors, they had wanted the illusion of pure white snow in lieu of the upcoming Christmas celebration.

As a result, they had established a dress-code. The invitation cards had read: Please attire yourselves formally in white. Even Kyouko, despite her arguments about having to do kitchen duty had to wear white.

"_But the chef's attire IS white!" she had argued vehemently. _

"_This party is for Ren's sake. I'm sure he would like to see you dressed up nicely," Yashiro replied steadily. His usual ready smile was missing and his brow had extra worry lines on them. _

_Kyouko smiled at him reassuringly, pushing thoughts of white dresses to the back of her mind. "I'm sure everything will turn out fine, Yashiro-san. Please continue to support Tsuruga-san!" _

"_You too," he returned her smile with a watery one of his own. "Thank you, Kyouko-chan, for all that you've done for him."_

"_It's the least I can do." She looked down at her hands a little dolefully. It was _all_ she could do. _

And so, here she was; Kyouko frowned at her pure white dress. It was really too extravagant, she thought. She had wanted a short dress. If possible, she would look even shorter than she already was in a long one. She had teased Maria when they had gone shopping together, asking her whether she wanted her big sister to look like a dwarf. Maria had shook her head violently, making her small curls dance. Sighing a little with defeat, Maria had picked out a short white dress. It had a white bow at the back, with a skirt adorned with delicate lace that swirled around her waist. It was a simple design but somehow, when she put on the dress, it hugged all her curves, making her gasp a little. It was tight!

"_Ano, Maria-chan, isn't this size a little small for me?"_

"_Nope!" the small girl chirped. "Now, let me tie the bow for you." She pulled the white satin ribbons tighter around Kyouko's waist and tied a clumsy knot. Standing back a little, she stared at Kyouko with bemusement. The dress made her look more than ten years younger. "Nee-san, just try on the long dress, okay? If you still think it makes you look like a dwarf then we'll go with the short dress." Maria raised hopeful eyes to her special sister. _

"_Okay, okay. This dress is strangling me anyway."_

_Sorting through the mass of hangers in the boutique, Maria had her brows scrunched up in concentration. She pulled a dress out every now and again to look at it, but simply shook her head and placed them back. _

"_No, that's not right. Too long! Too many sequins! Too ugly." She grimaced in distaste as she picked and discarded dresses. Finally she pulled one out that looked relatively normal in Kyouko's opinion. Before Maria could utter anything, Kyouko nodded vigorously. It looked simple, which was ideal. _

"_Looks rather plain, Nee-san. Are you sure?" _

"_Let me try it on first." Kyouko trotted off to the dressing room again. When she put it on, she suddenly realized that there was no back! Instead, it had two long satin straps that draped to the floor. Frowning at it with consternation, Kyouko wrapped it around her waist and stared at the mirror. It looked…weird. Perhaps it was supposed to go around the neck? _

"_Ano…Miss?" a sales assistant called out. "The straps for that dress need to be tied around the back. Do you want me to help you?"_

_Kyouko stepped out of the dressing room a little sheepishly. There was no way she would be able to reach the straps and she had no idea what the sales assistant meant. "Gomen, I can't reach…"_

_Smiling at Kyouko brightly, the assistant began wrapping the straps in a criss-cross fashion halfway up her back, ending with an elaborate butterfly bow. "There! Take a look in the mirror! You look beautiful!"_

_Turning to face the mirror, Kyouko gasped. The dress….didn't make her look short at all. In fact, it looked rather…nice. _

_The front was demure, satin straps with a simple diagonal pattern that had a thin row of white sequins that sparkled with the light. But it completely belied the stunning zig zag design at the back, cut a great deal lower than she would have normally dared. It hugged her curves and set her figure off to perfection. _

"_Nee-san! You look so pretty!" _

"_Uhm, are you sure it looks alright?" she asked uncertainly. Maybe she should try on something more…normal. _

"_It looks perfect! Now all you need is to style your hair a little and perhaps some jewellery. White high heels," she counted them off on her fingers. "Oh, and make-up!"_

How was she supposed to supervise the kitchens in a _white_ dress? She would definitely accidentally stain it with the red wine sauce for the beef or possibly the sour cherry sauce she was making for dessert. Maria had demanded a dessert made from cherries, so she had decided upon a sour cherry and cream cheese strudel instead of a normal apple strudel. Seeing how quickly the huge platter containing the strudel emptied, perhaps it was time to make sure there was another batch ready.

The guests were congregating around the stage, she noted as her keen hearing picked up the fine clinking of a bell. Upon the stage stood the assistant to the President of LME who waved a hand at her. It was time. Clasping her hands together nervously as she walked up on the stage, she prayed fervently that her plans would turn out well. Too much was at stake.

With his usual flamboyance, the President had made a grand entrance onto the stage, opting to be lowered slowly down from the ceiling, rose petals swirling around him and his voice booming across the hall. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Isn't this a wonderful party? I'm sure all of you would be pleased to know that Kyouko-chan is also the chef for today's event in addition to being the hostess."

His audience cheered appreciatively in Kyouko's direction.

"Now, for the entertainment, allow me to be the first to crack open this can of worms. Everyone ready?" Lory angled his mike enthusiastically at the crowd. Cheering filled the air. Lory nodded surreptiously at his crew.

Then, he suddenly stiffened and turned to look at the darkened windows, scrutinizing the shadows there. He had sensed something out of the ordinary. His brows twitched in concern.

But before he could utter another word, the double doors that led into the great hall resounded with a large bang, the reverberation of it echoing across the room. But the doors held steady. Everything stood still then. The audience turned to stare at the door in stupefaction. Another loud thud carried itself through and the doors slammed open. Windows exploded inwards, throwing glass splinters all over the place. Women started screaming and everyone started pushing their way through, hurrying towards the nearest exits. Mayhem spread like wildfire.

A crowd of fifty men, all dressed in pitch black had masks donned. The men started yelling, "We're taking everyone here hostage! Don't move and you won't get hurt!"

Everyone was petrified silent. No one moved. No one breathed. The men pushed everyone towards the corners, making a pathway in the centre that led towards the stage. One group guarded the guests while another lined up the aisle to greet their leader.

He walked up the aisle, purposeful strides that announced his presence more loudly than words ever could. His steel grey shirt had French cuffs that were held together with simple silver cufflinks emblazoned with a discrete monogram. In stark contrast to the dark grey, his tailor-made suit and pants were pure white, accentuating the length of his legs and on his feet were a pair of shiny black Cole Haan shoes. It all gave him a veneer of prosperous elegance but nothing could off-set the granite strength in his features, the cruel defiance in his tough jaw or the cold predatory gleam in his eyes.

His hair was blonde.

Harsh, unyielding, almost ruthless eyes swept across the room with disdain. He held the hilt of his gleaming katana in his hands and eyed his opponent standing just a few feet away from him, lighting a cigarette and languorously taking a deep puff. His blade trembled with restrained power in his hands. A bittersweet metallic song bled through his veins as the sword sliced through the space where his adversary once stood.

No words were spoken, only the dance of swords as they clashed together in fiery sparks. Pivoting swiftly on the balls of his feet, he brought the sword in a horizontal slash that hissed through the air audibly, blocking a blow which, had he been half a second too slow, would have sliced his right hand off. Each movement was precise, flowing seamlessly into the next hit; an awe-inspiring display.

His foe, a man of equally tall and broad stature, raised his arm in a diagonal arc, and they came together in a loud clash, sending ringing reverberations through the crowd. From the corner of his eye, he saw a glint of silver and he instinctively raised his scabbard to block the blow, successfully twisting his body and avoiding a flurry of throwing knives. His eyes narrowed with a hint of amusement. They were yakuza and there were no rules when it came to fights. Gone were the days of chivalry and upholding the honour of the gumi's name[1].

Another thrust from the left, his mind helpfully supplied. There was no way anyone would beat him in a sword fight. Not when he could read all his opponent's moves. His opponent, spying an opening, swiftly lunged forward, switching from defence to offence in a heartbeat. He darted to his right, his left hand reaching out in a judo move, knocking his chin back and simultaneously pulling his foe's sword arm forward and throwing him to the ground, his katana swiping an arc across his chest in a fluid, almost lazy motion.

His enemy's katana hummed as he slashed out defensively, his legs sweeping out to catch him at the ankles. He felt, rather than saw the movement and seemed to disappear for a moment from the audience's sight. He was suddenly airborne, catching the prone man on the floor by surprise. Blades crossed again. It was becoming more than a battle for territory. It was a battle for survival.

He licked his lips as his katana bit into his opponent, slicing through flesh. Yes, it would feed his sword's desire for blood. Power hummed through his veins. He met the eyes of his prey, his own burning like fire trapped in blue ice.

He smiled, gently, as he ran his katana through his victim's heart, relishing the sound of flesh, bone and muscle giving way, the last sigh of defeat, and the blood that poured out, staining his hands, staining his soul.

In a swift motion, he flicked the blood of his katana and sheathed it. No mark marred his body, save the blood of his victim that drenched his immaculately white suit. He took a moment to look upon his fallen enemy with contempt. His eyes slid shut, closing off the world and the stench of blood that surrounded him.

When he reopened them again, it was as if he was a completely different man. The forceful aura that had surrounded him earlier was replaced with a milder one; A gentleman's calm quality. A slight grin tugging at his lips, he assisted the bloodied man who was lying prone at his feet. "Good job," Ren said.

"I'm really getting far too old for this!" Kuu laughed as he dusted himself off. "That was some pretty fancy sword skills you got there."

"You're not too bad yourself," Ren replied.

"Now then, would you like to explain yourself?" Kuu asked him meaningfully as he gestured to their audience who were still silent from the shock. To the spectators, it was simply akin to someone coming back from the dead.

Lory, who had been onstage earlier, was the first to speak up. "Ren? Kuu?" He desperately wanted to slap their backs with approval and pride but he wisely kept his mouth shut and waited until everything played itself out. He waved a hand towards one of his attendants and ordered curtly, "Get someone to replace Ren's white suit jacket and Kuu's attire as well." Stage blood or not, they couldn't be attending a party like that.

Everyone else who was arrested in place by their dramatic appearance was suddenly reanimated, their stupor broken by the sound of Lory's voice.

"Tsuruga-san?"

"Kuu!"

"What was that fight about?"

"Are you hurt, Kuu-san?" came the frantic cries of his fans.

"No, no," he waved at them reassuringly. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Tsuruga-san! Your hair!"

"Tsuruga-san!"

"Hizuri-san!"

"Why were you fighting with Kuu-san?"

"When did you come back?"

"Where did you go?"

"Why did you dye your hair blonde?"

"Would you care to comment on your whereabouts to this date?"

"Please tell us about those pictures and that video! Are they real?"

Ren grinned at his father, who winked at him. Acting was, after all, something that came naturally.

"Real?" Ren glanced at the reporter, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "What made you think that it could possibly be real?"

Kuu allowed a smirk to grace his lips. "Reality is in the eye of the beholder!" he swivelled around to face the President who had a wry smile on his face. His emphatic declaration swept through the crowd and caused a ripple of good-natured laughter.

"Kuu-san! Why are you with Tsuruga-san?"

"Why, to meet him of course! Don't you agree that he's done magnificently well as Katsuki in Dark Moon?"

The female reporter who had asked him the question couldn't hide the blush that stained her cheeks. "Y-ye-yes...but that..."

"His interpretation of Katsuki just proves how talented he is as an actor. Truly commendable!"

"O-of course," she stammered. "But..."

Turning away from Kuu who had successfully deterred a group of reporters off his back, Ren strolled down the aisle towards the stage, ignoring all the questions that were being flung to his face. His eyes were set on one goal, and one goal only. He met Kyouko's eyes. She was near the stage, her hands grasped tightly together, her face pale from shock but her eyes clearly expressed relief that he was back. Relief and something more? He could hardly hope.

Enigmatically, he turned to face the reporters once more. "To answer your questions, I've been in Osaka for training. Is that so wrong?" he asked with a small laugh.

"What kind of training was it? Sword training? Weren't you worried about your reputation? The possibility that you may lose your career?"

"Lose my career?" Ren shook his head with wonder. "Why would I even consider such an appalling thing?"

"But the pictures…"

"The video!"

"What about them?"

The crowd grew silent at that point, digesting this new information. But all too soon, the clamour reawakened as they scrambled to press him for more details.

"If it isn't you, do you have any idea who it could possibly be?"

"That's not important! If someone was trying to pin the blame on you, do you have any idea who that could be?"

"Do you believe that someone is framing you?"

"Do you know of anyone who has a grudge against you?"

"Thank you all for your concern for me. And many thanks to Mogami-san as well for holding and inviting me to this party," he winked at the reporters, who were vying for that prime spot in front of him,

"Does anyone hate you?"

"Why didn't you come back when you knew there were rumours about you circulating?"

"Tsuruga-san! Why didn't your manager join you for your training?"

Ren turned to look at his manager who was standing next to the President trying to match Ren's cool nonchalance towards everything. "You were worried about Yashiro-san as well?" he allowed a soft glow to light his eyes. "You are a very kind person, indeed. Well, to answer that, Yashiro-san couldn't possibly join me for an actor's training camp and besides, he had some personal matters to attend to."

"You know," he waved his hands to silence the barrage of questions they were throwing at him. "I'm really glad you brought that up. Now, before I begin my story, would everyone like to take a seat? Please make yourselves comfortable."

Ren got up on the stage and walked over to where Kyouko was still standing, staring at him. Patting her trembling hands reassuringly, he led her to a seat next to the President.

"Everyone comfy?" he grinned at the reporters who were still whispering furiously amongst each another. He directed a beguiling smile to Kyouko.

"There was a young boy who grew up in the worst place one could ever grow up in. The slums of the city were horrible, ravaged with the lowest of the city's denizens. It was the product of a civil war which had begun many. many moons ago. Their world as they knew consisted of nothing more than fighting for the spoils of war and so the rich became filthy rich, and the poor owned nothing but the rags on their back."

"Is this a true story, Tsuruga-san?" a reporter called out. "Is it your story?"

Glancing at the reporter, Ren remarked, "Did I say I was finished?"

Thoroughly chastened, the reporter sat down amidst the boos of the crowd.

"Now, where was I? Ah yes, the young boy. He had no father, no mother, no one to call his own. Not even a name to call himself. He learned how to steal from a young age, a skill born of pure survival instincts. His home was little more than a corner in the basement of an abandoned building. The city was littered with such failed projects, again, the manifestation of the war which had wreaked havoc in that country. His first weapon was a blade. The skills he honed were neither for pride nor was it for show. It was simply a necessity.

"Inevitably, the young boy grew up. His life as he knew it was about to undergo a complete change, but he didn't know it yet. It would happen one fateful day on the coldest winter night anyone had ever seen. It would be a time when the snow which always seemed like fairy flakes, would turn into icicles of glass splinters, searing to the touch, stealing life-giving breath to those unfortunate enough. Yes, many would lose their lives that night, but no one knew it yet."

Ren stole a glance at his enraptured audience. Not a sound could be heard. No one coughed or shuffled their feet. Good.

"And so, that's the end of that story," he grinned at their dazed expressions. "I hope you will all mark your calendars for the release of this movie, entitled '_**The Black Dragon**_' on the 10th of October 2010."

The reporters rushed to their feet at the announcement, all speaking over each other, raising their voices to be heard.

"Tsuruga-san! It was just a promotional ad for your next movie?"

"Well, didn't you hear what I said just now?" he raised an eyebrow. "And Kuu will also be making a cameo appearance since he turned down the role of the antagonist."

Kuu joined his son onstage and laughed aloud. "We older people need to make way for fresh blood. I trust Ren's name on that movie is proof enough of an award winning performance!"

"Then what about all those rumours about those videos being images from your past?"

"What would catch the eye of the audience more than the name of Tsuruga-kun here?" Lory interjected, already catching on to what Ren was doing. "We will be allowing _select_ members of the media to view our pre-launch, so please fill out the forms that will be distributed at the exit on your way out."

A group of reporters grabbed their bags and cameras and rushed towards the exit, earning a smirk from the President. He glanced and nodded at his assistant who was hovering discreetly at the corner of the room. His assistant gave a small bow and disappeared to carry out the task of preparing application forms for the reporters.

"Tsuruga-san! One last question!"

"No more questions," Lory boomed as he clapped Ren on the back. "Let my guests have their dinner. Come, Ren, Kuu! We have much to catch up on regarding the fruits of your training," he smoothly sidestepped all the reporters and guided Ren and Kuu to the tables which were practically groaning with the weight of all the food on it.

Ren glanced up, completely tuning out Lory's voice as he scanned the area for Kyouko. Realizing that Ren had completely zoned him out, Lory sighed with exasperation. "Now that all your troubles have been solved, thanks to your ingenious idea, when will you be returning to LME? Ren?"

"Soon." Ren smiled at Lory apologetically. "I will need to return to Osaka once more before I can get back to work."

"Osaka?! What's in Osaka?"

"I'll tell you about it later." Ren strode off, ignoring the President's huff of indignation. He glanced at Kuu meaningfully. He needed to settle something first. He was completely oblivious to the dawning understanding that lit up the President's features.

"So it worked out," Lory mused to himself. Even he had been unable to control the situation, despite his far reaching influence in the entertainment industry. 'There were just far too many variables in play this time, but I'm glad that everything has finally settled into place,' he paused and lifted a glass of excellent red wine to his lips.

He made a mental note to convey his gratitude to his very loyal friend who had inadvertently played an important role in untangling the web of deceitful rumours that had nearly spun out of control. Yuzuki Kumiko aka Ba-chan had been observant as usual, despite her advancing years. A wry smile touched his lips for a moment. Thank Kami for her divine intervention and perceptiveness. Nothing less than expected from Kuu's mother. He grinned to himself. It really had been far too long since that family reconciled. Well, the last time they had met was, he counted the years off his fingers, nearly fifteen years ago? It was little wonder Ren hadn't recognized her.

"So Kuu, I see that you and Ren seem to be getting along," Lory grinned at the veteran actor. Both men took a moment to study Tsuruga Ren who was, at that moment, on a very important mission.

Taking full advantage of his height, Ren scanned the crowd for him. That annoying pest who'd haunted his nightmares for a long time. It was time to put him in his place.

Kijima was completely taken unawares, his animated conversation about his appreciation for 'Kyouko-chan' and her amazing acting skills drawing to a sudden halt when everyone around him lost interest in his banter. Hairs prickled at the back of his neck and he whirled around, only to have to raise his eyes a full head higher.

"Tsuruga-kun! You gave me a fright there!" he laughed nervously. "Good to have you back with us!"

Ren allowed his lips to curl into his usual gentlemanly smile as he bent his head to Kijima's level. But his voice, lowered to prevent anyone else from overhearing, completely belied his expression of calm nonchalance. "It is good to be back and I hope that you will keep your hands off what belongs to me, if you catch my drift." He allowed his gaze to wander to Kyouko for a moment, clearly indicating whom he was talking about. Kijima glanced at him, startled at his colleague's vehemence and was that...possessiveness? The cold look in Ren's eyes was enough to convince him that he was indeed serious about Kyouko-chan.

"Wh-What do you mean?" he stuttered in reply.

Ignoring him, the taller man flashed everyone else a blinding smile. "If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to the hostess of this magnificent event."

"Tsuruga-kun!" Kijima called after him frantically.

But Ren had already walked off, his eyes set on that one girl who held his heart in her hands, looking far more beautiful than he had ever seen her. She was bedecked in a white dress that nipped into her waist snugly and hugged her legs, with satin gloves that covered her hands gracefully, complementing her peaches and cream skin. "She looks absolutely dazzling," he thought to himself with a smile. Was this how it was always going to be? To have his heart seize in his chest just at the thought of seeing her and to experience that rush of exhilaration when she stood a few feet away from him?

The crowd had noticeably parted for Ren, but his eyes were too fully focused on that girl who was now smiling up at him beguilingly with just a hint of shyness.

Kyouko's heart almost stopped beating in her chest as she watched the tall, handsome man make his way towards her. The expressions chased across his face, more open, more vulnerable than she had ever seen before. Hope, longing, relief, joy. The illumination from the majestic crystal chandelier above cast prisms of light upon him, his light hair taking on a sparkling sheen.

And for a moment, she saw someone dear to her. Someone she thought she had lost a long time ago. And then, the image disappeared. All that was left was Ren, kneeling down in front of her and kissing her hand tenderly.

"Thank you," she heard him whisper.

* * *

Notes:

[1] Gumi – Usually used when referring to a yakuza (gangster) organization.

_**Blacktohru: **__Well, that ends the Osaka arc! I was very very sorely tempted to end TYC here, but no... I will end it properly, no worries. Look out for the next chappie. ^____^ _

_Updates: Love Is – Chapter 7 is up. I wonder whether anyone would be able to identify what type of poem it is! Cookies and a dedication for the person who gets it right! _


	14. Chapter 12: The Aftermath

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru:**__ This chapter goes out to all of you who've read, reviewed or placed this story in your alerts and favourites. Thanks for your patience! _

_Jackie: I'm glad you managed to find this fic and I sincerely hope you like it, since this has been my pet project for the past year. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and I anticipate the next time we meet up! Oh, by the way, 'black taro' means black yam. LOL! Cheers! _

_Prof Beefy: Thank you, dear, for your assistance with this chapter. I'm always in awe of your ability to finish my thoughts without me uttering them! _

_Runadaemon: My precious beta-reader. Thank you once again for your hard work! I appreciate you for being such a stickler for detail and for your wonderful input! I know you've been super busy of late, but you still invested your time and patience for me! *hugs* _

_La Jazz: Love love love all your wonderful reviews! I do hope that this chapter satisfies you, since you are one of my loyal readers! Long overdue, I know. I've been working weekends of the past month, leaving me little time to fine tune this chapter, although the draft was already out just after CNY! But, I hope you'll enjoy this little instalment! _

_Golden Meliades: Thank you for the inspiration! Your 'testing ground' for your new fics proved to be quite an eye-opener for me. I am, after all, still very much a beginner at writing. I look forward to more of your wonderful stories!_

_Buloy: Thank you! I'm honoured to have you leave me a review. I really loved ETF and Ouran Blues! I'm so glad I managed to make Ch11 work out. It was rather difficult to get everything in place, especially since it was so incredibly WAFFy! As for my commitment towards this fic, well... there IS a reason why my updates take over a month – writer's block, in addition to work commitments. LOL! It's difficult to find time to write, but I do squeeze in a few hundred words (or a few thousand when I'm on a roll) with the appropriate inspiration! ETF looks very promising and I can't wait for a new chappie! _

_Rin03: It's not ending just yet! There are still loose ends to be tied up, right? I do feel that I'm overstepping my authority on SB by deciding how the ending occurs, but... well, no spoilers k? ^^_

_Mangaaddict300: (Adds more sugar – yes, this chapter definitely has lots!) Thanks for sticking with TYC and being so patient. Hope this one pleases you just as much! _

_Fate Lowe: Arigatou! Just a little more...not too far off now. Enjoy! I must say...that is one cool tattoo! _

_Devillishduck: Thanks! I was a little worried that it would be weird, since it was so sudden! More POV coming up! _

_Violinanimemangafreak: Glad you liked it! From your nick, I was just wondering whether you watched/read La Corda d'Oro? It's an anime and manga about music, violins being one of the main instruments. Plenty of bishounens too!_

_Goodwind: Thanks for the feedback! Like I mentioned earlier, I'm a complete amateur at writing and TYC did start off rather awkwardly in my personal opinion. I hope that at least, the next few chapters would show improvement in my ability to portray each character and bring them to life for my readers. Glad you enjoyed it!_

_Moons-Chan: Not quite! But as each chapter progresses, we shall see Ren's facade slowly peel away bit by bit. For someone with such rigid control over his emotions, just try imagine what would happen then! Or, of course, you could wait for the next chapter!_

_Le candyknights: More fluff for our favourite couple! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter! _

_Lala-tan: I'm glad Ba-chan's identity remained a secret till it was exposed! Read on for more fluff!_

_Kay: Settled? Not quite! It's gonna pick up from now on!_

_Stupid thing: I don't see how cookies can go wrong but still taste good. If they taste good, then they ARE good! LOL! Guess I'm not much of a cook then. But blood? On cookies? I wonder... Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!_

_WindyLea: Perhaps I took a little too much time with this chapter? But I hope you like it anyway! _

_Lady of the Hunt: Thanks! Glad you liked it! Good luck with that writer's block and I hope this update inspires you...somehow... (chokes on self-flattery) LOL! Just kidding! Gambatte! _

_Sleeping itasaku fangirl: Nice to meet ya! Thanks for dropping a review! (hands out triple chocolate chip cookies)_

_Mangaka-sensi: Loved your review! And I'm really glad you liked that chapter. Hope this one will be equally satisfying!_

_Chainedheart999: Hello neighbour! Well, I could be living next door to you for all I know! Lol! That is, if you're still in the same country? Thanks for the lovely reviews! I can see how the movie chapter is rather confusing in the beginning, but not to worry. There will be updates for that, just not yet! I did wonder whether Ren did end up going to university since he is twenty, but from the sketchy timeline from the manga, probably not. Thanks for the translation! I hope you enjoy this chapter..._

_Jbramx2: Thanks for reviewing! I must say, you are one fantastic artist! Wow! Admittedly, I don't follow American comics that closely, so my apologies for being unable to understand the fics you posted there. _

_Dolphinz: Bonjour! Bonne chance avec apprendre le français! Ah, if I got that wrong, please correct me! I love to pick up new languages, although I haven't really shown much talent for it just as yet, unfortunately. TYC hasn't ended yet! Just a few more chapters, so look out for it!_

_Ishasuki Mitochi: Nods. Yes, Ren was OOC. I'm glad you pointed that out. As you will see, his cool and calm facade of a gentleman is slowly fading as Kuon begins to appear! Hope this Update (with a capital U) satisfies you! _

_LavenderSkies: I am trying to be nicer to Sho! LOL! He's got this dependency complex where he believes that everyone should revolve around him and answer to his every beck and call, probably due to his upbringing. So it is rather hard to like such an unlikeable character, in my personal opinion. But he does have some redeeming qualities. Yes, you will definitely see more of him in the coming chapter(s)! _

_Freyasakura: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! The manga and maybe the anime may eventually explain more detail on Ren's past, but this is just my take on it for this fic! More on the movie chapter soon, but not just yet! Ren's still blonde for now, but more on that will be explained during the movie, kays? _

_LavenderSkies: I'm glad you're enjoying reading TYC as I am writing it! Tired of it? No way! TYC's been my baby for the past year, and amazingly, it's the reason why my writing skills have improved – and also, most interestingly, the reason why I got my job! ^-^ A few more chapters to go! So hang on till then, and maybe I'll post up a new story that I'm working on now... _

_Tsuki_281: Thank you! I hope this chapter satisfies you! _

_Ecyoj06: Glad you're enjoying it so far! I love food too! I've recently begun craving this little delicacy called salmon mentai nigiri – it's a salmon roll topped with roe that's been slightly seared with a blow torch (aburi style!) that simply melts in your mouth! _

_Sakimi1014: Thanks for dropping a review! And you're right... Byakuya and Rukia are a VERY strange pairing. I like Byakuya personally, especially that recent episode showing his younger self. Kya~! _

_Maxride0001: Love squares? Wow... never quite thought of it that way. Nice one! I'm all for happy endings, so you needn't worry! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter! _

_Gingergirl63: LOL! Unfortunately, yes, she is his cousin twice removed. But we won't focus on her for TYC. Perhaps Kijima will get his own story one day... but not anytime soon. TYC first!

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**Chapter 12 – The Aftermath**

Dappled sunlight streamed in through the windows of her bedroom in Darumaya, highlighting her curled up form on the bed. She curled into a tighter ball, smiling unconsciously to herself as she did so. Her pleasant dream faded away, the details already distant in her mind as she drew the blanket to her cheeks.

"Ren..."

She bolted upright on her bed as his name passed her lips. She racked her head anxiously. What on earth had she been dreaming of, for her to say his name aloud? But the blurry remnants of her dream had already slipped away, leaving only a strange sense of security and warmth that inexplicably soothed her deep inside.

Drawing on her bedroom slippers, she stretched her limbs, feeling them pop and snap into place as she began her morning exercises. As monotonous as it was, it allowed her thoughts to fall into place as each practiced movement blended with one another seamlessly. The sunlight had strengthened and she winced, half wishing she could jump back into bed and bury herself in the soft blankets, if only to recapture the fragments of her nostalgic dream.

A small smile lit her face as she recalled the events of the party. Kyouko spun around her room happily. She _knew_ Ren wouldn't just back off without a fight. He had planned everything perfectly. His dramatic appearance with Kuu at his side, endorsing the upcoming movie had pretty much clinched it. If she closed her eyes, she could almost see, almost feel and relive the party that had taken place not twelve hours ago. Two men parried swords before her – both more precious to her than she could have ever imagined. The clash of steel against steel rang in her ears once again, but it was the terrifying prospect of either one of them getting hurt that brought tears to her eyes. She shuddered, recalling the strange clench of her heart when the sword Kuu had wielded narrowly avoided Ren's vital points. Yes, vital points were now something she was well versed in after her training for the movie. When Ren's sword had pierced Kuu, she had bit her lip hard to stop herself from crying out.

She shook her head vigorously, trying to erase the image. Ren was home, and that was all that mattered. The filming for '_The Black Dragon' _could proceed according to plan and everything would return to normal.

She sat down at her desk and cupped her chin in the palm of her hands, unable to stop the burst of pride she felt for him.

"Only Ren, huh," she mused. He was definitely one of the few actors she had met who was completely focussed on acting.

A quiet tapping at the door alerted her to her surroundings.

"Kyouko-chan? Are you okay?"

"Ah, gomen Okami-san. Was I too noisy?"

The older woman smiled knowingly. Kyouko-chan was such a bright spot in their everyday lives. She was the child they had always wanted and could never have. She noted the sunny smile on her face and wondered what had brought that about. For weeks, Kyouko had been moping around, completely unable to function properly. She had attempted to talk to her, to at least ease some of the worry in her young eyes, but all Kyouko had done was stare back at her strangely, her lower lip trembling slightly.

"So was the party a success?" she attempted to broach the topic.

"Yes!" she grinned. "We celebrated my senpai's return and revival," her brows scrunched up a little. "The entertainment industry can be rather scary sometimes. But I'm glad that my senpai managed to overcome all those rumours surrounding him."

"Senpai?" she asked curiously.

Kyouko nodded. "I think you may have heard of him before. His name is Tsuruga Ren. The leading male actor in _Dark Moon_?"

"Ah, yes. I met him here once."

"He was a customer here?" she was slightly incredulous.

The older woman laughed and shook her head in the negative. "You of all people should know that wouldn't be possible. He just came by a while back, looking for you."

"Oh," her young charge muttered and seemed to slip into darker thoughts.

"Anyway, Kyouko-chan, I was just wondering…. what do you think of your senpai?"

"Eh? I really respect him," she paused and mulled over the question. "He's one of the best actors I have ever met and as his kouhai in LME, I strive to be just like him! Did you see him in _Dark Moon?_ Wasn't he fantastic?" Kyouko gushed, and the Okami-san noted the excitement and pride in Kyouko's eyes. It was the most animated she had seen her in weeks.

Okami-san's eyes widened slightly. If she didn't know Kyouko so well, she could have passed it off for a young girl's foolish flight of fancy. Or a very normal crush on a good looking actor. She hesitated a moment. Not too long ago, she had asked her young charge whether she held any special feelings for any of her co-workers. It was perfectly natural of course, for someone Kyouko's age to experience one or two puppy loves. But the starry-eyed look the young actress wore morphed into something more affectionate; a gentle smile curving her lips. She blinked, more than a little taken aback. So much for Kyouko-chan not being a foolish woman and harbouring love for her colleagues. She decided to be direct about it.

"Ne, Kyouko-chan, are you sure you don't have any special feelings for your senpai?"

"Special feelings, Okami-san? What are you talking about? He's my senpai!"

Okami-san smiled at that. Perhaps this was how it felt to be a mother, she mused to herself. "Feelings for your senpai, Kyouko-chan, aren't necessarily restricted to respect. You are both good friends, right?"

Good friends, Kyouko considered that thought. Friends cared for one another and took care of each other, just like how she and Moko-chan were best friends. Could her relationship with Ren really be called friendship? At the party, it took all that she had to focus on the tasks at hand and not on the extremely high probability of it being a failure. If it had failed, she shivered at the thought. Ren's name could have been rendered black for the rest of his career.

She could still feel the warmth of his lips pressing a kiss on her hand when he had finally escaped from the President's clutches on the night of that party. The immense relief she had felt flooding her system had been real. She couldn't stop repeating in her head, '_He's back...he's home..._' It took all her acting skills to stop the tears that had welled up in her eyes. Instead, she had forced back a choke and stifled the urge to bury her face in his shoulder and hug him tightly. Her breath had hitched and her voice caught in her throat, strangling the words that she wanted to say. Somehow he had understood and bestowed a gentle smile on her.

She chewed on her lower lip as she considered that thought. Ren had always had that ethereal aura about him. The way he moved, that graceful carriage of his; his voice, deep and mellow; it all carried an exceptional beauty. She knew from experience that he had a will of steel when it came to the things that he believed in.

Moko had always said that he was far friendlier with her than with anyone else in LME. Even Momose-san had commented on that. She knew that they were more than kouhai and senpai. Very good friends? She smiled a little at the thought. Who would have thought that the one man she had hated in LME would eventually turn out to be a good friend of hers. People can change, she reminded herself.

"Kyouko-chan? Kyouko-chan?" she waved a wary hand in front of the younger girl's face.

"Oh, sorry! My thoughts just wandered off there for awhile." Kyoko smiled at her okami.

The woman laughed a little at that and stood up. "Why don't you join us for breakfast? There's still some time before you have to leave for school."

"Thank you, Okami-san! I'll be downstairs in a minute!"

"Okay," she paused. "Kyouko-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Falling in love is a wonderful feeling. And it's double the joy when the person you love, loves you in return."

With that enigmatic remark and a gentle smile gracing her features, she turned and left Kyouko to her thoughts.

* * *

Kyouko descended the stairs in a slight daze. "Okami-san? What did you mean when you said..." she hesitated when she saw the warning look the older woman shot her. Oh, Taisho-san was in the same room. Kyouko bit back a chuckle.

"Good morning, Taisho-san," she greeted him politely.

He grunted in reply, gruffly muttering his greeting. Kyouko took her seat next to him, knowing all too well he was carefully watching her every movement although he was hiding behind the morning paper.

"There's a letter for you," Okami-san replied, handing over the plain white envelope with her name printed on in neat, precise handwriting.

"Arigatou, Okami-san," she placed her chopsticks neatly on the side of her bowl, accepted the envelope and froze.

Her heart almost stopped. She had found her.

* * *

The morning dawned with a magnificent clear blue sky and Ren was all smiles as he trotted down the corridors of LME looking for that familiar pink. He'd made his comeback as Ba-chan had predicted and all was well. In his personal opinion, he'd even made a little progress with Kyouko-chan. Only ten o'clock, he noted. He was a little early for his afternoon appointment with Director Ogata. But he was hoping to bump into his kouhai first.

He caught sight of that blinding pink and his smile didn't waver as he recognized the cascading black hair that identified the Love Me Member No.2.

"Kotonami-san? Good morning." He kept his greeting light and restrained the urge to push past her in his eagerness to see Kyouko.

She bit back a growl of frustration. This was one person that she didn't want to meet so early in the morning. She flipped her hair back nonchalantly and glared at the source of her annoyance.

".." She scowled. "She's late. Not a few minutes late! Two whole hours late! You know that never happens."

"Have you tried calling her?" he couldn't stop the burgeoning panic that had begun to spread, and the smile slipped off his face.

"Are you an imbecile?" she retorted, completely oblivious to the look of horror on Yashiro's face. "Of course I tried. Even her landlords know nothing." She closed the door to the Love Me member's room with an audible snap.

"Ren," Yashiro prodded him a little worriedly. "I'll inform the President and postpone all your arrangements till noon, okay?"

The actor shot him a look of gratitude and nodded. Bowing his thanks to the fuming pink figure in front of him, he made to move away but hesitated when he heard her mumble.

"Could she have...possibly...no," Moko shook her head in denial. She mentally berated herself. Of all people, she should be the last to even bother about her colleagues, much less _care_ for their wellbeing. She inhaled sharply. This was the reason why she didn't want friends! It was altogether too troublesome.

"She should be fine. Perhaps she just didn't hear her phone ring," Ren replied. He took a breath, trying to convince himself of her safety.

"Arrrghh! Mou!" she stomped her foot, startling the actor. "You're going to look for her, right? Take me with you."

Ren blinked. "Ah, but... you don't have any jobs today?"

"It doesn't matter. Her _safety_ matters."

* * *

Elsewhere, Sho was lounging comfortably in his easy chair as he flipped through a stack of photographs that had been delivered to his doorstep. The large envelope it was contained in lacked any stamp or postmark so it was obviously hand delivered.

He had choked on his coffee when he saw the first photograph – one of Kyouko and a girl dressed in the same eye-blinding pink uniform that she seemed to like so much.

He didn't know who had sent them to him, but his curiosity got the better of him. He began to sift through the stack. It was all of her – Kyouko at her night job at some restaurant all decked out in her waitress finery; Kyouko in her prim and neat school uniform raising her hand to answer a question; Kyouko with short black hair and an ugly scar running down her left cheek. His eyes bugged a little at this one, but he recalled that one of her roles required her to look like some fiend.

He paused at the one of her in the angel outfit which she wore for his PV. It really wasn't the fact that she looked completely different in make-up. It was the expression that she had on her face; one of gentleness and content, her eyes glimmering with laughter, her blonde hair catching the rays of the morning sun. He didn't recognize her, he thought angrily. That wasn't his Kyouko. He discarded the photo carelessly.

The next one was one of her and some other male actor who he didn't recognize. He hesitated. No, he did recognize him. It was that bastard he met at LME who didn't recognize _him._ What was his name again? Kijima something. He growled ferociously at recalling the humiliation he had suffered. The photo crumpled under his grasp as he scrutinized it. That man had his arm around her shoulder protectively and she was laughing at something he had said.

"Damn it!" he cursed and slammed his hands on the table in fury. "That's not Kyouko. It can't be her."

The last one was of her in the loose embrace of a blonde haired man he almost didn't recognize. The man held a hand to her cheek gently while she returned his smile with one of her own. A tender, almost _loving_ smile.

"DAMN IT! TSURUGA REN!!!"

It wasn't his fault, he thought as he tore each and every one of them into unrecognizable bits and dumped them all into the dustbin. It was all _her_ fault. She shouldn't have turned away from him. Everything would have been perfectly fine if she had stayed by his side like the good girl she had been. He had made all the arrangements necessary and soon...soon... she would be back where she belonged.

* * *

"Sawara-san?" Ren called out a little breathlessly as he saw the older man at his usual desk. "Have you seen Kyo- Mogami-san?"

"Kyouko-chan? No. I've been looking for her myself." Now that was a pairing you didn't see very often, he thought to himself as the older man stared at Ren and Moko, the latter seemingly a little winded.

"Okay, thanks. If you do see her, could you tell her to call me?" Moko called out as they rushed on in their search.

"Tsuruga-san." She jogged a little at his side, her voice strained at having to keep up with his long strides. "Why can't you just call her 'Kyouko-chan' like everyone else does?" The man at her side took little notice of her, taking full advantage of his height to scan the corridors and waiting rooms occupied by comfy lounge chairs.

"She... she hasn't given me leave to do so," he hedged, finally giving in to her after she nearly bit off the head of one of Ren's lovelorn fans who tried to block their path. "I think we should check out Darumaya, just in case."

She nodded and followed him to the car park. "She would, you know. She really respects you."

"Yes," he replied shortly, unwilling to continue this line of conversation. He slid into his sleek Porsche and waited impatiently for his unwanted passenger to board, hoping that his abruptness would allow the conversation to die a natural death.

But Moko was relentless. All the man was doing was chasing his own proverbial tail. She'd seen the look on her best friend's face whenever she talked about her respected senpai. It wasn't just the awe-filled voice she had whenever she had the opportunity to witness his acting first-hand. No. It was the softening of Kyouko's expressive brown eyes that had done her in. She nearly snorted in disgust. "If you truly love her, then why aren't you... doing anything?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration.

He turned startled brown eyes on her. He opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off. "She's not too young. She's already seventeen for crying out loud."

He was silent next to her but she saw the imperceptible tightening of his fingers on the steering wheel.

"You know what Sho did to her. The reason why she's in the Love-Me department. Why can't you just understand why it's so hard for her to even consider the idea of love? If you don't do anything, other guys are going to be after her soon. There are already a few who are angling for her."

Ren's jaw clenched and a muscle began to tick in his neck.

_There. That got your attention, eh?_ Moko hid a grin.

"Could you try calling up her other workplaces? Maybe her school?" Ren asked as he took a particularly sharp corner, making her grip her seat forcefully.

She frowned. "She was supposed to be at LME, and as far as I know, school's out for the day. Some holiday in lieu of their founding day. I've already tried calling TBM and one of her colleagues at Box 'R'. No luck."

He gritted his teeth and slammed on the brakes when he reached the front door of Darumaya. He left the engine running while he knocked on the door.

He released a breath of relief as the door slid open. "Uh, sorry to disturb so early in the morning, but is Mogami-san around?"

The woman stared at him in surprise. "She left awhile ago."

"Ah, okay then. Thank you very much."

"Tsuruga-san?"

"Yes?" he tried to hide his pained expression.

The older woman hesitated and then slid the door open a little wider. "I think there's something you both need to know." She nodded at Moko, recognizing Kyouko's oft spoken of best friend as she slid out of the car.

"Kyouko-chan was perfectly fine this morning when I spoke to her until she read the letter," Okami-san began.

"What letter?"

"I'm not too sure who it was from but the postmark indicated that it came from Kyoto."

Kyoto. Ren released a breath of frustration. That could only mean that her past had caught up with her.

"What's in Kyoto?" Moko asked bluntly.

The landlady shrugged. "We don't really know."

"Tsuruga-san? You do know something, don't you?" the actress asked him sharply.

"She's from Kyoto," he replied, a little unwilling to divulge any details he knew about her.

Moko stared at him, a little angrily. He knew! He wasn't going to spill it easily, but she wasn't tenacious for nothing.

"Kyouko-chan – she's a really good girl. Whatever that letter said, it really shocked her. Immediately after reading it, she ran upstairs and..." the older woman bit back a sob. "She took an overnight bag with her and left."

_Shit. _Ren was at his feet immediately.

"She didn't mention where she'd be going?" Moko asked.

"No. Please...call us if you find her?"

"Of course," Ren nodded at her as he turned to leave. "Thank you."

Moko grasped his arm tightly. "Do you think she went to Kyoto?"

Kyoto. There was nothing for her left in Kyoto. Except... her mother. Ren executed a sharp U-turn and ignored the screeching of his tires and that of the other cars that had to brake to make way for him. Amidst the blaring of horns, he replied. "Her mother. Her mother is still in Kyoto."

He took a moment to glance at her and then said, "I'll send you back to LME."

"Wait. Wait wait wait," Moko felt like pulling at her hair in frustration. "Where are you going then? Don't tell me... you're going to Kyoto?"

He didn't reply as he reached into his pocket and retrieved his hand phone. He pressed the speed dial and waited for the call to be connected.

"Ah, Yashiro-san? Could you help me book a flight to Kyoto? Yes. The earliest one. Please cancel all my appointments for the next few days as well." Ren held the phone away from his ear as Yashiro began yelling.

Moko winced as she overheard the faint shouting in the background. Inspiration hit her and she grabbed the phone.

"Yashiro-san? Make that 2 tickets. And could you kindly inform Takarada-san for me, please?"

Lory calmly took the phone from Ren's manager. "That will be fine. I'll be looking forward to making all THREE of you, Mogami-san included, work doubly hard for this leave of absence."

"Thank you, Takarada-san," she breathed a sigh of relief and hung up.

Ren glanced at her curiously as he headed for the airport. "Are you sure about this?"

She snorted with contempt. "She's MY friend. Of course I'm going to look for her. But what makes you so sure she'd have reached Kyoto by now? She could have taken the bus or the train."

Ren allowed himself a wry smile. Knowing her, there was no way she'd waste time considering her options. Not when it came to her mother. "That would take easily eight or nine hours. If it's an emergency, which I suspect it is, she would definitely take the seventy minute flight. You know her, what do you think? Is she the kind of person who'd just abandon her work on a whim and disappear for good?"

She shook her head. "No. But even this is completely unprecedented on her part."

He stopped the car in front of LME. "Stay here in Tokyo, just in case she comes back. I can't allow you to come with me. You'll just jeopardize your career."

"Why?! She's my friend!" her response was instantaneous and indignant at the idea that Kyouko wouldn't want her to look for her.

He gave her a blinding smile. "Are you my rival by any chance?"

Her jaw dropped. "Are you an IDIOT???" She fumed at the mention of such a possibility. Did this man even have his head screwed on properly? Considering all that she knew of him, perhaps there were a few loose screws, but most men tended to have that problem anyway. Men! She huffed.

"I wouldn't want the best friend of my future girlfriend to face any problems at work. I don't think Kyouko-chan will be very happy with me either if she were to find out." His remark was almost casual and she nearly missed his words as a result.

Moko opened her mouth to continue her argument and then paused. Wait. He said...

"'_Future girlfriend?'" _She smiled slowly, victoriously. "You said it!" she grinned at him and got out of his car dutifully. "I'll be depending on you. Don't break her heart." Or else, she added silently.

He bit back a smile. He could definitely hear the underlying threat in her words.

"Thank you, Kotonami-san."

"It's 'Moko-san'," she smiled at him. "Bring her back safely."

He nodded and drove off, making his way speedily to the Haneda Domestic Airport. _'Future girlfriend'? _He shook his head a little at the slip of his tongue. His control seemed to be slipping a little too easily these days. Kuon was starting to peek through the gaps in what he had once considered the iron-clad facade of Tsuruga Ren.

* * *

_**Blacktohru: **__Well? Let me know what you think! RL's been interfering with the update of this fic, but rest assured that it is still ongoing. Look out for Chapter 13! Till next time! ^_^_


	15. Chapter 13: Broken Wings

**The Yashiro Conspiracy**

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat. Meh.

_**Blacktohru: **Thanks to Runadaemon for beta-ing this one! Gomen-ne, I made a few final additions at the last minute. ^^  
_

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Broken Wings**

The screams of his ardent fans were fading into the background more and more these days, he thought disinterestedly as he belted out the chorus of his latest hit. Is this what the view from the very peak of success looked like? Nameless girls and faceless names became a commonplace, with his manager being the only fixture in his life. No friends to call his own, no family to be at his side; nothing but the strains of his guitar and the lyrics that he wrote to go with it.

_Was this what he had worked so hard to achieve? Wasn't this what he had wanted, no, what he had dreamed of his entire life?_

_To be loved. To be admired. To be desired. To have the crowd __scream__ his name. _

But the one person he wanted to be there for him hated his very existence.

"ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! FUWA SHO!!!"

He gave them a careless grin, his trademark smile and began strumming another song, a ballad this time. It was one he had written for her a long time ago but never released with any of his CDs. Partly because he had been far too incensed with her for turning tail on him and partly, he admitted grudgingly, because he hadn't wanted anyone to see the depth of his feelings for her.

He sang of warm summer days filled with her sunny smiles and of the childish love they had once shared, pure and innocent. He spun tales of how they would frolic, hand-in-hand through those cinnamon sweet dreams. Yes, his memories of her as a child were always of her looking up to him adoringly with those beautiful brown orbs of hers.

He resisted the urge to rub a hand over his face wearily. Not even Tsuruga Ren, that B-grade celebrity who would rely on transient fame through his recent bout of scandals, could be considered his rival now. Such gossip was the recipe for instant popularity, and infamy. But that wasn't what he was looking for. All he wanted... he drew a deep breath.

This feeling, he thought as he ran through the final stanza of his song, was it _loneliness?_

Without realizing it, he had already raised his face to the sky, the spot lights above highlighting all too clearly, his tears.

And the crowd roared.

* * *

The air was still, almost quiet with the gentle susurrations of the leaves as they blew along with the gentle breeze. It was a peaceful place and it should have had a calming effect on her emotions, but the turmoil within her heart refused to abate. As if to mirror her mood, the earlier turquoise blue sky was slowly turning a deep hue of Prussian blue as an early dusk descended. Storm clouds were gathering, foretelling the coming storm.

Kyouko rocked on the balls of her feet, a blue stone clutched firmly between her palms as she mumbled to herself.

The journey home hadn't taken as long as she would have liked. Or perhaps it was purely because she had been in a complete daze when she had boarded that plane. So much for taking into consideration all of her surroundings. Her Otou-san would definitely not be pleased.

Her heart froze for a moment. It wouldn't just be Otou-san. She pressed her palms to her face in despair. Everyone she'd left behind – Moko-san, Maria-chan, Okami-san, Taisho-san, Takarada-san, Sawara-san, the Bridge Rock Onii-sans, her Dark Moon and Box "R" colleagues – all of them would be so let down by her.

"Tsuruga-san" she said his name in a whisper. She could just imagine him walking up to her and saying something worse than not wanting to speak to her outside of work. Perhaps he wouldn't even acknowledge her existence anymore! In retrospect, she truly deserved it.

Admittedly, she had panicked at reading the letter and ran off without thinking too much about it. It was painful but her instinctive response to run spelled the end of her career. Everything that she had worked so hard for was now in vain. It would have been so simple to just call any one of them up and tell them that she would be going away, just for a short while, due to 'family issues' that she had to settle. But she just couldn't find it in herself to lie to them. If only things were that easy….

And so here she was again, where she started all those years ago. She raised her eyes to take in her surroundings.

Her memories of this place had always been of clear blue skies dotted with fluffy white clouds and the shaded everglade she'd sit under, shading her from the gentle rays of sunlight that peeked through the crystal green foliage of the canopy above. On better days that is. She lifted her face to the skies and took a deep, invigorating breath of fresh air, heavy with the fragrance of tiny white star-shaped flowers. _Serissa_, she mused, a little surprised that she had actually recalled its name.

Just a few feet away from her was the edge of a cliff where a majestic waterfall cascaded to the lake down below. Once, when she was younger, she'd crept to the edge where she had stared, enraptured by the glistening rainbows that reflected off the misty spray.

She allowed her eyes to slide shut, taking in the calm and peaceful serenity of it all. It was the place she would always go to whenever she was confused or upset. It was the place she had met Corn. A small smile of reminiscence played by her lips.

"If only he were here. I'm sure he would have known what to do," she sighed to herself as she patted the blue stone carefully. Somehow, no matter how much she focussed her worries and burdens on it, it didn't seem to work anymore. All that she could remember was _him_ lifting the stone to his lips and kissing its shiny surface.

'Kami-sama, what on earth am I doing! Remembering something like that...'

Footsteps broke her reverie and her eyes shot open. She nearly groaned aloud at the thought of someone intruding on her secret place. It belonged to Corn and her! Why should anyone interfere!

"Kyouko-chan?" a voice called out. "Are you here?"

That voice! She scrambled to her feet hastily. "Tsu-" her voice died in her throat.

The figure that appeared before her stood in a shaft of light and for a moment, she saw him.

"C-Corn?"

The figure hesitated and then stepped closer.

Oh. The hope that sprung in her chest died.

"Yes, Kyouko-chan."

"Tsuruga-san? What are you doing here?" she could barely meet his eyes now. Not after imagining all that he would say to her now that he had found her. She frowned. Found her. How had he found her in the first place?

He gave a small grunt of exasperation. "I should be asking you that. Why aren't you in the office? What happened?"

She shook her head, unwilling to tell him anything. "It's nothing. I just needed to go away for a little while." Inwardly, she grimaced and wished that she could take those words back.

Unexpectedly, he didn't turn the force of his gentlemanly smile on her or get angry. Instead, he reached out and pulled her into his embrace, her small lithe frame crashing into his muscled chest. He bent forward, holding her tightly as he released a shuddering sigh. "We were so _worried_! I'm glad you're okay."

She stiffened for a moment in surprise and then leaned into his embrace, accepting the comfort he offered. He was worried for her. He had come to look for her. No one had ever done that for her. Not even Sho. She leaned into his hug, feeling the waves of uneasiness and hopelessness slowly dissipate as she buried her face into his chest.

"Kyouko-chan..." his usual calm and steady baritone was thick with emotion, making her shudder as his warm breath ghosted over the shell of her ear. She bit back a whimper in response and wished most fervently that it would be dark enough so that her cherished senpai couldn't see her agony.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, ignoring the patter of raindrops that were dotting her blouse and beginning to soak her from her shoulders downwards. The rain mingled with her tears, streaking down her face unchecked.

Ren opened the umbrella he carried at his side to shield her from the rain and silently thanked Moko-san's foresight in reminding him to check the weather forecast while he was on board the plane. Carefully tucking her head under his chin, he marvelled at how fragile his feisty little kouhai actually was. _She smells of rain and tears_, he thought sorrowfully. Ren closed his eyes, inexplicably filled with the desire to ease her burdens.

"What happened?" he leaned back a little to look at her properly, taking in her red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. The tall actor gently pushed her down onto the seat she had abandoned when she heard him coming.

'Even while kneeling down like that, he's still taller than me', she thought to herself a little bemusedly.

"If you don't tell me, how am I supposed to help you?" he chided her gently as he placed a finger on her chin, angling her head upwards. "You do know that all of us care for you, right?" his words were demanding but his mild tone was somehow calming. "Moko-san insisted on coming, but I didn't want to put her career at risk, especially since she's just starting off," he continued, noting the widening of her eyes. "Takarada-san even allowed it, but he did mention that he would make all of us work doubly hard for it."

"She did?" Kyouko whispered in wonder. "Moko-san really said that?"

Ren smiled at that. He repeated Ba-chan's words, "There are many who care for you, if only you'd let them." Carefully cradling the umbrella with his neck and shoulders, he used his handkerchief to gently wipe away the tears that were pooling in her eyes. "Your landlord and landlady were beside themselves with worry. Make sure you give them a call later, okay?"

His words echoed in her mind as she stared at him in wonder. "Even you, Tsuruga-san?"

His answer was instantaneous, tinged with a little hint of self-depreciation which she would wonder about later. "Of course, Kyouko-chan."

His sincere and unwavering gaze was her undoing and she hesitantly opened up that part of herself she had locked away when she made the decision to move to Tokyo with Sho.

'_Why is it I trust him so much? Somehow or other, he has never ceased to give me strength...'_

"My mother," she began. "I got a letter from the hospital this morning stating that she had just been admitted. I tried to see her just now, but they wouldn't let me in. I'm not really sure what's really wrong with her and...and..." she broke off painfully. "The letter said that with her current condition, she may not have much time left."

She gripped Ren's arm tightly. "What if..." she looked up at him beseechingly. "It's my fault... for running away...leaving her alone. I shouldn't have." Had her love for Sho so clouded her judgment that she had been willing to abandon family for him? Her mother hadn't been the best of mothers. But to a certain extent, hadn't she worried about the welfare of her daughter? To place her in the foster care of the Fuwas, wasn't that a form of caring? She could have just abandoned her in some orphanage. She wouldn't have been any wiser to the fact that she had a mother if that had happened.

"Kyouko-chan..." he was at a loss for words.

"I left her alone," she shuddered, trying to hold back the sobs that wracked her small body. "I always thought that even parents can hate their own children... but as my mother's daughter, how could I have done such a thing to her in return? I abandoned her... "

He pulled her close. "It's okay to cry. I'm here for you."

His words broke the dam of tears and she began crying in earnest. Ren wrapped his arms tightly around her, glad that he had made it in time. Once her sobs began to quiet down, he patted her head gently.

"You did try your best for her, didn't you?" he mused aloud. "The very fact that you're here in Kyoto means that you care for her. And since you got that letter, doesn't it mean that she managed to track you down? I'm sure she does care for you. Otherwise, she'd be completely indifferent to the fact that she has a daughter. Right?" he ruffled her short bangs.

She bit her lip. Put in that perspective, he sounded very convincing. Hope welled in her chest. Her mother _cared. _It was a strange emotion to consider, but if it were true... she pressed a hand to her eyes, trying to stop the tears.

"Still the cry-baby Kyouko-chan?" he teased her softly, jolting her from her inner contemplations.

She hiccupped as she choked and stared at him. "What do you mean by 'still'? And how did you know where to find me? The only person who knows of this place is me and Corn."

He nodded a little sadly. "Yes."

"But..." she stared at him.

"I don't mind what you call me, Kyouko-chan. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier. I hope that you will be able to forgive me."

She stared at him, his words contradicting the very axis of her knowledge of Tsuruga Ren. But, there _were_ times when he had seemed all too familiar to her and knew exactly what to say and what to do to ease her fears and calm her troubles. Could it be? The sunlight that pierced through the canopy above highlighted his already fair hair. "Corn?" her voice was a reverent whisper. "You're really Corn?"

"Yes. In the flesh, or more accurately, in the suit," he tried to joke.

"I did think you were Corn, but I thought he was a ..."

"Fairy prince," he finished her sentence.

"But you're..."

"Human, much to your disappointment."

"But that means that you...."

"I didn't mean to bluff you, but I really didn't know how else to stop you from crying back then."

She stared at him, a little hurt. "You didn't trust me enough to tell me who you were?"

Ren took a deep breath. So it had come to this.

"I couldn't. I made a promise to myself, to my parents and to the President that I would never use my real name again until I have achieved my goal," he smiled at her winsomely.

"Have you achieved your goal?" she asked wide eyed.

"Almost. But I will make just this one exception for you. I trust that you will keep it a secret?"

"Of course!" she looked mutinous and her breath caught in her throat at the intense look he was giving her.

He'd made the decision, he remanded himself. He would stand by it. It would be for her, and for her only, he thought as he took in her luminous eyes, still damp from the tears she'd shed and the trusting hold she had on his hands.

"My real name is... Hizuri Kuon. I am the only son of Hizuri Kuu and Hizuri Julia."

She stared at him slack jawed. Hizuri Kuon. He was Otou-san's son? Which meant that she had met his father? Kuon and Corn were the same person? Her head was spinning with questions.

He gave a short chuckle. "I know you must be confused now. I'll answer all your questions, perhaps on another day. For now, you're more important."

"Promise?" she turned liquid eyes to him.

He couldn't resist those eyes, glimmering brown orbs that seemed to stare into his very psyche. "Yes, I promise."

"Why?" she suddenly demanded. "Why now? Why do you suddenly trust me now?"

He reached out and caressed her cheek gently. How was he to explain of the myriad of feelings that had welled up in his chest whenever she was near him? Or the inexplicable desire of just breaking free from his gentlemanly persona and reverting back to whom he really was? He gripped her shoulders just a little tighter.

"Because you mean the world to me." He regretted his words the second they left his mouth. He hid a grimace. Hadn't he already decided to do this?

She stared at him blankly. "What?"

His already wavering self confidence took a nosedive. "I like you, Kyouko-chan." He hesitated, unable to force the words out of his mouth properly. "I don't mean to make you confused or anything like that. I just wanted you to know." He sighed.

There. It was done. There was no going back now. If she were to hate him for it...the least he could do was to accept it... and hopefully regain her trust and friendship.

She wobbled on her seat. "You...like me? But..." she sat up straighter. "But that's not possible!"

He almost frowned at her. "Why is it not possible?" At that moment, his conscience took the opportunity to rise up and bellow with uncontrolled laughter at his expense. Of course, even her best friend had mentioned how Kyouko-chan's popularity was on the rise and that there were more than a few men angling for her.

"Because the person Tsuruga-san likes is a high school girl," came her quiet reply.

The second the words were out of her mouth, her eyes widened and she clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Where did you hear that from?" He stared at her in a mixture of fascination and horror. A part of him silently rejoiced the fact that his inner self had been wrong. Well, for now at least.

"Uhm...uhm... by accident?" she stared at her hands and fidgeted.

The only person whom he had told was... he paused. The chicken.

"The chicken?" Ren's eyes widened in realisation.

Oops. Another faux pas on her part. She scrambled to her feet.

"Now, how do you know the chicken, Kyouko-chan?"

She began to sweat under his scrutiny. He was getting angry with her!

Bowing low in a dogeza position, she cried out, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hide it from Tsuruga-san! It's just that it somehow became really difficult to tell you and you seemed to be comfortable talking to me in the chicken suit, more so than me in person, and so I thought that it would be better that way..."

"You were in the chicken suit?" he was dumbfounded, pulling her to her feet. "There's no need to apologize like that."

"I'm sorry," she refused to meet his eyes as she grasped the hem of her skirt tightly. She couldn't have chosen a _worse_ time to tell him the truth of who was hiding under the chicken suit.

"I basically admitted all my feelings to you unknowingly???"

She looked down at the floor, studying his boots intensely. "Uh...but Tsuruga-san said that..."

"You are that high school girl," he replied with a sigh. "Is that so difficult to believe?"

She was blunt. "I can't be..."

"Why?"

"Because Tsuruga-san is... Tsuruga-san!" she objected heatedly.

"That's not really an explanation, you know," Ren chuckled. "And do use my name. I've already started calling you 'Kyouko-chan'"

"But that's not respectful! You're my senpai and I must address you appropriately."

He bit back a laugh. "We've known each other for so long and besides, if you don't use my name, I'll have to go back to calling you 'Mogami-san'."

"But..."

He reined himself in. There was no need to rush her into it. Hadn't he told himself that he would give her all the time she needed?

Ren leaned his forehead against hers, trying to ease back the pain in his chest. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I don't mean to force you into that... It's just that... No, nothing. I'm sorry," he took a deep breath and rephrased himself carefully.

"I understand if you don't want to answer me now. I'll wait for you. So, you don't have to feel awkward or pressured by what I'm saying. So take your time. Just…just think about it, okay?" _He was blabbering._ He felt as gauche as a teenager on his first date. Or rather, he amended wryly, like a twenty year old man confessing to the girl of his dreams.

She blinked. The tall man before her was suddenly uncertain, more so than she had ever seen before. The look in his eyes was sincere as he gazed upon her own openly, his heart laid bare to see. The man did look cute when he was flustered. The thought shocked her with its suddenness and her lips parted with a silent gasp.

"Don't turn away from me, Kyouko-chan. Even if this isn't what you want, I'll always be there for you as your friend, your senpai, anything you want me to be. I'll give you all the time that you need," he barely concealed his choke. _Friend_? He truly wondered whether he would be able to go back to the time when she didn't mean the world to him. His heart pumped in heavy thumps against his chest, reminding him of the passing time. _Please_, he begged her silently.

She contemplated his words silently, although inside, her brain was a whirlwind of jumbled thoughts and emotions. The world that she had carefully built upon her joining LME seemed in danger of crumbling at her feet.

'But for Ren...' she thought to herself. Images of him began to flash behind her eyes.

_They had started off on a bad foot. He'd been furious, as to be expected from learning that someone wanted to join the entertainment industry for revenge on Fuwa Sho. But as time went by, fate had drawn them together. She was appointed his temporary manager and he had absolutely no intention of giving her any points for her effort. She'd seen his true smile and his ability to apologize so maturely, although she was hiding behind the face of Bou. He'd gone out of his way to help her build her characters for both Mio and Natsu. And somewhere along the way, he had become more than a senpai to her. Tsuruga Ren, Corn or Kuon, they were the same person after all. _

"Tsuruga-san to me is someone very special as well," she looked at him shyly. "R-Ren..."

He raised his head at his name. The smile that lit up his features was blinding to behold. "Say my name again?"

She smiled at him delightedly. "Ren..."

He couldn't help himself. He swung her up in his arms and spun her around, making her laugh girlishly and clutch at his arms in reflex. "Kyouko-chan!"

"'Kyouko' is fine," she said shyly, a small blush staining her cheeks and a sweet smile at her lips.

He nearly kissed her. "Kyouko..."

He settled for hugging her tightly and whispering her name over and over again.

"Step away from her, you murderer!" a voice broke in.

They both looked up.

"Fuwa."

She felt the hairs at the back of her neck rise as she heard Ren's voice. She looked up at him and gasped. It was as if he were a different man altogether. In the fading light dusk provided, his eyes were dark and forbearing. They were narrowed and shone with a gleam of what appeared to be… hatred. Pure undiluted hatred. A cold shiver ran up her spine. She'd seen him angry. But never like this. It made him almost unrecognizable.

The sound of his name made her twitch. _Shoutaro?_ What was he doing here? Then she heard his voice above her, cold and filled with disdain.

"I don't care what bullshit you told those reporters but I don't believe it. Kyouko, come over here. That...thing...is a murderer. Didn't you see all those pictures and videos?" Sho yelled. "Get away from him! What on earth did he do to you? Brainwash you? Your mother is in the hospital, for goodness' sake. Don't listen to a word of trash he says!"

Kyouko stiffened in Ren's arms.

"Kyouko?" he whispered, staring at her. "You don't believe what he says, do you?"

She pushed him away slowly.

"That's right, Kyouko! Back away from him!" Sho was yelling triumphantly.

"You bastard!" she suddenly yelled at him heatedly, startling the two men. "Don't talk to my senpai that way. Don't talk to Ren that way! You are nothing compared to him! Why can't you just leave us alone!"

"So now he's 'Ren' to you?" Sho mocked. "Do you know what he's done? That murderer? Those are the types of people who should be locked away for the rest of their lives!"

"I didn't..." Ren began.

She snapped. "Don't you dare give me that load of lies! Insult me all you want, but don't you dare insult Ren! Go away Shotaro! I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore!"

He smirked and gave her a condescending look. "You will always have feelings for me, Kyouko-chan. Even if it is hatred. You will never be able to get rid of me. You belong to me after all."

Ren's hands fisted at his sides. No, he argued with himself. Don't start something that will definitely end badly! Even though the brat deserved it after all the heartache he had caused Kyouko-chan. He forced himself to focus on her. Kyouko would definitely return to his side. He would make sure of that.

Sho glanced at the actor. Turned up like the bad egg he was, as always, he fumed to himself. Well, at least he had a contingency plan for that.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be busy with one of those girlfriends of yours? Oh, sorry..." he mocked. "Having too many at once can be troublesome, right _Ren_?"

His drop of the honorific was glaringly obvious.

"It goes without saying too that if you were to hit me, I'll hit you back twice as hard," he threw his head back and laughed. "I was the one who protected Kyouko from the stalker in the end. Remember? And where were you? Busy _entertaining_?"

The tall actor refused to be baited. He'd been through worse and dealt with far more creative insults than that. "Are you done?" he smiled at the shorter man.

Sho heaved a dramatic sigh. "There he goes again, pretending to be so perfect. Did you see how fast your fans dropped you when they saw the truth of what you truly are?" He mimed a reporter speaking into a microphone. "Tsuruga Ren! Running away with his tail in between his legs! The truth of his past as a murderer!" He shook his head sadly. "Truly a pity your little holiday didn't last longer. Though I really should commend you on coming up with such an excuse to hide your guilt."

He turned to Kyouko suddenly and advanced upon her. "Did you know of his past? All those videos they were showing on the news? All that is REAL. I never would have thought you would fraternize with criminals."

She took a step forward instantly, ready to defend him against the hateful words Shotarou was spouting. Ren grabbed her wrist and shook his head. "It's okay," he whispered.

"No it's not!" she yelled back at him vehemently, shaking off his hold on her.

"Come back to me, Kyouko. I'll even forgive you for all your transgressions. We can start anew!" Sho held out a hand to her. He gave her a funny little half smile with a dimple that punctuated his smooth skin. It broke her heart. For a moment, they were both young again, back to a time when things weren't so complicated.

Ren restrained himself, forcefully imagining heavy chains holding him back. Kyouko was his. She wouldn't go back to trash such as Fuwa Sho. Not when he had thrown her away when it suited him and hurt her with his selfish words. But the look they shared, Ren agonized to himself. It was as if she were teetering between the love/hate for her childhood friend and the possible future she would have with him.

"Do you remember? The times when you would run to me crying..." Sho said softly.

"And you would stand there, helplessly," she replied and her voice hardened. "I learned to rely on myself. I had nothing! A mother who wouldn't even look at me unless I attained perfection. A friend who stood by and did nothing when I was down."

They stared at each other for a moment, their thoughts turning to the past.

"NO!" Ren finally broke his silence, piercing through their momentary stupor. He gazed down at the fuming singer. "You had your chance with her and you blew it. You hurt her and there's no way I'm letting her go back to your side."

Sho ignored the actor and gave his childhood friend a scornful, almost pitying look. "So, you've taken up with this murderer. Well, sorry to say, but you won't be able to rise to the top with that murderer at your side." He shot the actor a malicious grin as he directed his next words to Kyouko. "I'm so disappointed with you, Kyouko. To think that you'd throw away all your hard work for a man. I thought you knew better." Sho shook his head sadly. "I don't accept soiled goods."

Infuriated, she rushed up to him and slapped him. Hard. "You bastard! You aren't fit to lick his boots!"

He laughed sardonically, steadfastly ignoring the numbing pain. "You're pathetic. You hold such a high opinion of yourself now, eh?" he gazed down at her scornfully and then gave a short laugh. "What...you mean you didn't tell your precious senpai? About how I found you in that compromising position with Reino of Vie Ghoul? He could have raped you."

She stared at him in revulsion. "What nonsense are you spouting...." she trailed off, belatedly remembering the deeds of Beagle Reino. "That wasn't rape!"

"No, he only had your outfit undone and had one hand up your dress. I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gotten there in time," he goaded her further, seeing his words finally pierce through the impenetrable wall that Ren had built.

In between one heartbeat and the next, Ren had Sho by the throat, almost raising him a foot off the floor with one hand. His voice was steady as he gently increased the pressure around the soft cartilage. "Would you please enlighten me further? Since I seem to be most ignorant of the event of which you were speaking of."

The singer gasped for air, his already pale complexion whitened further at the actor in front of him. Ren wasn't furiously angry in the way a regular person would be. Instead, he seemed almost normal, his question phrased in a manner one would use to enquire about the weather. That was what he thought until he caught a glance of his eyes. They were flint hard and had a strange gleam that spoke of untold horrors.

"Cat caught your tongue?" Ren smiled slowly. "Funny...you were so talkative just now."

Sho swallowed tightly and coughed harshly. "Shit...no..." he struggled vainly, unable to free himself from the actor's iron grip. He felt his energy depleting, a stronger emotion rushing to fill its place. Fear.

The actor's eyes narrowed to slits, his entire demeanour changing, his usual gentlemanly baritone was harsh. "Spit it out!"

_Crap. _He was dangling by the throat, quite literally, his intake of air gradually lessening. But he hadn't come this far for nothing.

He managed to wheeze out "Re-remember that stalker incident? Ky-Kyouko... nearly got raped by him. If I hadn't gotten there in time, who knows what would have happened." Despite his rather awkward position, he managed to shoot the actor a superior look. "And where were you when that happened? Did she even tell you exactly what happened? Heh. So much for..." he choked over his last words as Ren furiously tightened his hold on the younger man's neck.

"Y-You couldn't even protect her," Sho bit out in between gasps. "You would never be able to. Because you will never be more than a senpai in her eyes."

The actor turned swiftly towards her. She was still in the same position as before, stunned into fright by him, no doubt, he thought to himself sourly. Her eyes were filled with tears. He clenched his eyes shut and pushed aside the almost irresistible desire to just snap the neck of the snivelling singer before him. He dropped him like a sack of potatoes and stepped towards her.

She took a step back.

Ren opened his mouth to call her, but clamped it shut when he saw the look on her face. 'Kyouko...' he whispered to himself. He'd ruined everything.

Sho staggered towards her and grasped her hand tightly. "Kyouko," he breathed. "Now you see what I mean. Did you really think I meant what I said earlier? I'm sorry. I had to show you. You had to see for yourself what type of person he is," he ignored the startled look she sent him. "I did it for you. Come with me, Kyouko..."

She carefully disentangled her hand from his. "You said all that...to provoke him..."

"Yes. I couldn't let you fall into the arms of a murderer. I'm sure you understand." He smiled at her and softly sang, his voice a deep rich thrum with only a slight rasp from his earlier ordeal, "I did it for you, all for you... So now all you need to do is to stay with me..."

Sho bent down on one knee in front of her. "Say you'll come back to me." Sho pried open her nerveless fingers to reveal the blue stone she held so tightly.

"You would throw away all that you've earned with your sweat and blood, just for him?" he asked her softly as he plucked the stone she'd christened 'Corn' from her hold. "Does he mean that much to you?"

Suddenly bereft of her precious Corn, she blinked, her eyes immediately registering its location. "Give that back," she growled and tried to snatch it back.

"Nuh-uh," he waved a finger in front of her face carelessly as he held the stone far beyond her reach in his other hand. "Not till you tell me what this piece of rock means to you."

"You know nothing about me," she spat. "You snivelling bastard! You used me for your own purposes, and when it suited you, you threw me away!"

"Kyouko," he murmured. "We can start anew. Forget our tainted pasts and look forward to our future. Isn't that what you always wanted? A future with me?"

She paused for a moment in contemplation. Then she leaned in towards him, completely missing the look of intense joy that crossed his face and the look of sheer pain that spread through Ren.

Sho nodded, pulling her close to his side in a loose embrace. "Yes. I love you, Kyouko. I always have, although I was too stubborn to admit it."

"Kyouko..." Ren stared at the couple before him, unable to believe his eyes as he watched the girl he loved place her hand on the singer's cheek. _Was this it? Were the Gods so cruel? To take away the only girl he had ever loved..._

"_Love?_" she shook her head, unable to accept his words.

The man who once meant the world to her reached out a hand to grasp hers. "Kyouko?" Sho whispered achingly. The singer clenched his eyes shut, burying the ache he felt as he slipped on a mask of cool nonchalance. His voice was tinged with just a hint of cruelty. "Well, I guess that just means that you won't need this rock anymore, eh?" he pushed the rock towards her face and she instinctively flinched from him. He tossed the rock lightly up into the air, as if to test its weight and threw it with all his strength.

"No!" Kyouko gasped, already reaching out for her precious Corn. "NO!"

"You never learn, do you?" He grabbed hold of her and while his earlier embrace had been as gentle as a lover's touch, his grip now held an almost maniacal force to it. He pressed a switchblade to Kyouko's neck, just allowing the knife to graze and pierce the tender flesh. _Blood_. Her brain registered it even as it skittered away from the fact that her childhood friend was currently holding a knife to her throat. She remained as still as she could.

"S-Sho-chan, what are you doing?" she hated the way her voice wavered.

He grinned down at her and the look in his eyes made her shrink back in fear. "Making my mark." His words chilled her, making her shudder involuntarily. His breath was hot and rancid with the smell of beer. "Scream for me," he breathed into her ear as he pressed the knife deeper. She clenched her teeth against the pain and bit her tongue as he yanked her hair back to angle her head upwards.

"Do you like what you see, Ren?" he ran the side of the knife gently across her cheeks, streaking her face with her own blood. "Such beautiful, unmarked skin, so pure and innocent. What man wouldn't want to possess such a treasure. Only a fool would turn her aside."

A muscle began to tick in Sho's cheek as he failed to get a rise out of the actor. And then he smiled cruelly as he gripped Kyouko's hair and bent his head to meet her lips in a sadistic kiss. She shuddered at the feeling of his tongue against her lips.

"_No!" s_he whimpered, quite unable to budge for fear the knife would embed itself in her skin.

"Kyouko…" Ren whispered, his eyes widening as he took in the scene before him. He growled, low and deep in his throat. "Let her go."

"And what I say no?"

"You would live to regret it." Ren smiled at him in a deceptively mild manner which completely belied the clenching of his jaw and the ferocity in his eyes.

"Oh, really?"

"By the time I'm finished with you, you will never want to show your face in the crowd ever again." She shuddered at his vicious words, spoken in a soft pleasant tone and fell from smiling lips.

Sho hissed with satisfaction. "Excellent. I couldn't have said it better myself!" He pushed Kyouko aside roughly, sending her sprawling to the floor.

She gasped at the sudden move, and watched as both men ran towards each other, one holding a deadly weapon in his hands. For a moment she stared mesmerized at the glint of the blade as both men struggled over it.

_Those idiots! _She felt like pulling out her hair in frustration. First Ren drops a bombshell on her about how he was actually Corn AND Kuon; and now the childhood friend she'd known nearly her entire life had put a knife to her neck? But even as anger flooded her system, she worried over them. Ren, being of taller stature had the obvious advantage. But knowing Sho, he wouldn't pick a fight without knowing one or two tricks. She wouldn't put it past him to fight dirty. She bit her lip in anxiety as both men edged closer and closer to the precipice.

_If only she could get them away from the edge of the cliff. Or even distract them from each other for a moment. Just to get some sense knocked into those two stubborn heads! _The thought emboldened her for a moment and she stumbled to her feet a little ungracefully.

_Please let it work. _She sent up a hurried and disjointed prayer to whichever kami that was watching over her at that moment.

Kyouko looked up at the sudden yell of pain one of the men emitted. Ren was gripping Sho's arm, harshly twisting it in an effort to disarm him but the younger man doggedly held on to the switchblade. She grimaced at the popping sound of his bones being strained beyond their normal capacity. But she knew Sho wouldn't back off that easily. Not even the possibility of a dislocated shoulder could stop him.

Panting hard, Sho jabbed an elbow into the taller man's stomach, making him gasp and lose his grip. He jumped back, away from Ren's reach and dropped the switchblade into his other hand. His dominant right hand was throbbing with pain from almost being dislocated. He scowled. The actor had been serious about almost maiming him! What if he couldn't play the guitar anymore???

"Damn you, Tsuruga Ren!" he yelled, completely incensed. He raised the switchblade.

Kyouko's eyes widened and a quick glance at Ren proved that the actor was down for the count, catching his breath from the sharp jab Sho had given him. _No!_

She dashed forward.

_Blood. _It was everywhere. It was all over her. It was wet and sticky. And red.

"Kyouko!" Sho yelled, his face turning pale.

Ren started as he felt awareness snap back into place. He felt horror and shock wash over him. _Kyouko. _Only later he would admit to himself that it wasn't purely because of the words of Fuwa Sho that had propelled him forward, but the look which she cast upon him that nearly brought him to his knees.

She wobbled for a moment as the fact that she'd been stabbed began to filter through her brain. Suddenly she slipped on a patch of moss and teetered for a second. She fell and began sliding. Her hands scrabbled through the dirt trying to find purchase, but the damp earth yielded easily. _No! _She'd forgotten about the waterfall! Instinct told her to grasp anything she could, but it was all in vain.

"Kyouko!" Ren shouted, already darting forward.

Her eyes grew wide as she felt gravity pulling her over the edge of the cliff, the waterfall below rushing up to greet her.

She screamed. "REN!!!"

He jumped over the edge of the cliff, diving in after her.

* * *

**Blacktohru:**_ Hi! Yes, it's been a long time! *bows* Thank you for your patience! That was... *stares into the distance* about 7000+ words? Hope that makes up for the delay! My apologies for not being able to personally reply each and every one of you. But rest assured, I read and treasure each and every one of your reviews. Let me know what you think! But, is it just me or are there like... tonnes of Skip Beat fics out there now! It's amazing! When I first started writing TYC, there was only a mere handful! ^^ Anyways, TBC! See ya next time in __**Chapter 14 – Call Me Irresponsible. **_


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